A sweet coming of age story for Young Adults, New Adults, and Adult Adults alike. This story combines what I consider to be Emma Lord’s signature blend of psychology, relationships, and personal growth. Andie, Milo, Shay, and Valeria are all fascinating full-bodied characters that I could totally imagine bumping into out here in the real world. I was deeply invested in their development and where they would end up by the end of the book. I love how Lord builds up found families in her books and the journeys her characters take are complex and rich. No one gets their happy ending without putting in a lot of work and growth. Plus the happy endings are not always the expected ones. Will happily continue to read anything Emma Lord writes.

Andie Rose has a plan. Transfer to Blue Ridge State, reconnect with her high school boyfriend, and join a secret society just like her mom. But even for the ultimate planner, things don't go the way Andie thinks they will in the new romantic comedy from Emma Lord. Readers will be left cheering for Andie to find her way in a new place while connecting with her past and looking to her future.

i was so incredibly and unbelivably lucky to receive an arc of emma lord’s new novel in exchange for an honest review and i couldn’t be happier! i adore emma lord so much and i was so happy that i was able to read this book early!

“begin again” follows andie rose as she transfers to her dream college mid-year and all of the chaos that comes with this change. as soon as she arrives and tries to surprise her boyfriend, he reveals that he transferred to her community college back home to be closer to her. her roommate needs to decide on a major by the end of the semester and has no clue where to begin. her RA, milo, has a serious coffee addiction and a newfound belief that love is dead. they make the perfect found family 🤩🥰

this book is an incredible coming-of-age story. emma lord knows how to write love and heartbreak and grief so well. i know i say this a lot, but i really saw myself in andie and it was both powerful and a little bit of a reality check. (i did mention this book in therapy, so ms. lord, please let me know where i can send my therapy bill. thank youuu!) andie grows a lot in this book and it made me laugh, cry, cheer, and everything in between. i cannot recommend it enough!

thank you again to netgalley and wednesday books for this arc!! “begin again” will be out january 24, 2023!!

Emma Lord just keeps knocking them out of the park. I didn’t realize this one would be New Adult, as her last three have all been YA, but I actually loved the departure for her.

Although not quite as “fun” as her others, this book was really great. Even though I didn’t have much in common with the main character, I immediately empathized with her and rooted for her so deeply. This may have also been the first Emma Lord book that brought me to tears but in a good way.

Even though I’m a huge fan of the romance genre, I loved that the romance in this book was there to support the main plot without being the main plot. This was a coming-of-age story (albeit a slightly older age than we usually think of for this trope) that was all about the main character finding herself while trying to connect with her deceased mother. Beautiful, heartbreaking, and heartwarming, yet still fun and funny.

Part of the beauty of YA (and I guess NA, too) is the nostalgia it gives the reader. While reading this book, I was immediately brought back to my college self. I highly recommend this book for anyone who feels disconnected from the younger, more idealistic version of themselves or anyone who’s currently at the age of the characters in the story.

Emma Lord is one of my auto-buy authors, so as soon as Begin Again was announced, I put it in my calendar to get my hands on!

Following in the footsteps of her mother, freshman transfer student Andie starts classes at her dream college — the same school where her mom and dad met years before. Her goal? Simple. To join one of the school’s secret organizations. With the help of her newfound friends - quirky RA Milo, bookworm roommate Shay, and generous tutor Val - Andie learns that all of the planning in the world can’t account for all that life has to offer.

Right off the bat, it’s easy to tell that Andie is headstrong and determined. She is a planner and puts everything into seeing those plans through. She’s a fairly enjoyable main character, but I think where Lord’s writing shines in Begin Again is in the secondary characters. Each of them bring such personality into the story, and I found myself invested in all of them almost as much as Andie. Would Shay find a major that suited her before it was too late? Would Milo ever address the tension with his brother? Would we get resolution about Val’s a-hole ex? What is Professor Hutchison’s deal? These were the questions that would have kept me reading, even if Andie had been taken out of the equation completely.

Overall, an enjoyable read with characters you will instantly fall in love with. Of course, they have their flaws, but very relatable to the YA audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this story. It told alot about college and ithe journey to start a nee lide. Great to see that the book was not full of smut and cursing. I will be recommending this book in my book club.

Thanks Netgalley for the read and review

4 STARS

I fully admit, I will generally read anything by Emma Lord, and Begin Again is no exception.

I enjoyed the more mature tone of this book. The struggles the characters go through ring true to the college experience, and are not presented in a juvenile manner.

The slow build of the relationship between Milo and Andie was excellent. Their friendship developed quite naturally, and even though the reader expected romance between them, it was nice to see a storyline in which the male and female protagonists could develop a solid friendship without immediate or contrived romance.

The truth of Connor's situation, however, did feel slightly contrived, and the catalyst for his ultimate breakup with Andie was obvious to readers several chapters earlier.

As a whole it was a fun read, and fans of Emma Lord should not be disappointed.

My first Emma Lord book, but certainly not the last.

As a fixer myself, I could relate to Andie's MO of avoidance. This felt real as a character trait. Thus the story earned a spot above most.

It also touched upon complicated relationships and hills we climb over to reach a healthy state.

Made me miss the chaos of college life. Almost an adult yet not exactly there.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

Begin Again by Emma Lord
Standalone
Contemporary Young Adult
Publication Date: January 24, 2023

Andie transfers mid-freshman year to Blue Ridge State not just to be closer to her boyfriend, but because it brings her closer to her deceased mother, a former Blue Ridge State alumni. Things are complicated when Andie learns that Connor transferred to her local community college. Andie is a fixer and when faced with her own issues she decides she would rather deal with someone else's' problems, including her roommate, Shay, and her RA, Milo, With the help of Milo and Shay, Andie begins to find her own voice and the power to tackle what she has been avoiding for years.

Emma Lord does it again. She’s crafted a warm little YA contemporary story about a chaotic and charming young woman, that judging by my Instagram stalking of Lord’s page, seems like a small chunk of Andie is based on her as with all her characters. They all tend to have this chaotic energy and yet they are entirely distinct and so are the familial problems they face.

The dialogue is charming and witty (and okay a little cheesy when Andie shouts out her favourite weird food combinations instead of swearing which eventually does kind of become charming in itself I promise!). The book takes on some heavy topics and yet they are presented in a light and heartwarming way that never diminishes their significance.

Also, can we make Blue Ridge State a real thing? If so, can I re-do my university experience at it because I feel like I was gypped. My experience wasn’t nearly this wholesome and fun.

This is my third Emma Lord book and I can say with certainty that it will not be my last.

TW: Death of Parent, Parental Emotional Neglect, Cheating

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

Ahhh Emma did such a good job with this book, the friend group was so well written and kept you wanting to read the next page onto the next! So see myself rereading this one in the near future

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC!
So it goes…. Andie Rose transfers from community college to Blue Ridge State to further her degree in psychology and one day write a great self-help book. Her plans are thrown sideways with various obstacles and found family along the way.
I enjoyed getting to know Andie and friends. Her journey of self-discovery to find a place in this world is one we know all to well, as we have likely faced similar battles. Emma Lord delivers her usual wit and charm, as well as her love of sweets in this story. I recommend this one to fans of Jess Mariano and Taylor Swift. Jump, then fall into this story that will leave you tied together with a smile.

Begin again was everything that I was expecting from an Emma Lord book. This is Emma’s first book written from a college aged protagonist, but it still reads much like her others (which I loved.) The book follows Andie, a college freshman at Blue Ridge State who is learning to pave her own way at her parents Alma Mater. I always love Emma’s mentions to desserts and Taylor Swift, it wouldn’t be right without them. I thought all the characters were very well developed and I was honestly surprised with how she tied some of them together towards the end. Overall, I gave this book 5 stars and just like her other books, I would highly recommend to anyone.

“Just pick up the pieces. Begin again.”

This was my first Emma Lord book and it will not be my last! I thought this would be a cute story, but it ended up being so much more than that. I cried, I laughed, even as an old lady in her 40s it took me immediately back to my college days. I may have also felt a lot of the book deeper as somebody who also lost a parent in high school, but I think that the book would be enjoyed even without that connection.
This is a book that has romance, but isn't about romance at its core. This is a book that is about leaving your small town, but doesn't hate on the small town. This is a book that is about family, but values not just your biological family but found family as well. There is so much growth in the book, but at a pace that makes it feel genuine and in a way that acknowledges the difficulty of leaving behind things that are comfortable even if they aren't good for you. Andie, the main character, has allowed her life to become driven by living up to her mother's legacy, keeping her boyfriend on track while proving her worth to his family, and fixing everyone around her while avoiding the problems in her life. Watching her grow from those things into being herself while keeping the best parts of why she wanted all of those things is a treat, and watching her do it surrounded by a truly solid group of friends is the icing on the cake.
Would I be the only one who would love to see a novel about one of the other Flynn siblings in the book to tell their story and allow us peaks into Andie's future???

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

Emma Lord has become one of my top authors and I will read anything she puts out. Her books continue to be fun, sweet, touching, and an overall great experience. This book touched on grief, growing up, and finding your place in the world. I adored the characters and found it easy to binge this in one sitting.

Andie is a freshman transfer at her dream school, the one her parents met at. She tries so hard to make friends, succeed in her classes, and uphold her mom's legacy by participating in the Knight radio show and ribbon challenges. She's definitely overwhelmed, but has a pretty great attitude about most things and draws people to her. I'd love to be that friendly and charming and constantly make connections with others.

The romance is slow since Andie is holding on to her relationship with Connor, but I liked the little moments we saw. Friendship is also a big part of this and Shay and Val are the best. They support one another and push each other to go for their dreams. I want to be part of these friends!

Fantastic story! I can't wait for it to be out in the world.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy.

A charming novel full of great friendships!! I really adored this book, mostly for the friendship aspects. Andie, our MC, really never seemed to have a strong friendship as we only ever hear about her meh boyfriend Connor. So when she gets to college and suddenly has 3 best friends, the best job ever, and a competition to concur im so happy for her.

I think the one thing that gave me pause with this is the cheating aspect. It’s in here a lot. Between Milo and his ex (and brother), Valeria, Andie, Connor, Walt???? THERES SO MUCH CHEATING. Emotional cheating, physical cheating, it’s everywhere. Didn’t bother me much, but a good thing to note.

I’ve loved Emma Lord since “Tweet Cute” and Emma Lord killed it with the follow up. “Begin Again” is just as sweet and romantic. A must read for YA fans!

This story was sweet and perhaps is now my favorite of Lord’s. I loved the surrounding character, I loved the connection to her mom’s legacy, and I loved that it was set at college. I do think the last 20% was a bit weaker than the rest; the conflict with the boyfriend seemed silly and forced, but I get the role it had to play so it didn’t factor into my rating.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun and warm YA read!
I love the college adventures, dorm living, fall vibes! I love all the content and growth that we see in this book. The only pet peeve I had was the “cute” or replacement words for cuss words. I just cannot stand that in a book!

Besides that this was such a fun read! Thank you for allowing me to read your arc!!

I really liked this Emma Lord book! She paints the friendships of dorms and college life very well against the hardships that many of these characters are going through/have gone through. I love the grumpy Milo and his banter with Andie. This book was a good read, but I did feel that it had a lot of different plot points and stories that needed to be told. Focusing on less might have improved the story overall.

3.5 stars rounded up. Super cute story about a girl with her whole life planned out and what happens when it doesn't look like it's going to go the way she planned.

I loved Andie. She was such a good friend, to her own detriment at times. I loved her drive to go to the school, how she started with TastyKakes and a fun game, and how hard she worked for those ribbons. I thought the Knight program and the ribbons were a fun part to the story and I love how it tied the group together. Val and Shay were such a fun part of the story and I appreciated how realistic and flawed they were. Milo was adorable and I loved and appreciated his love for strong coffee. Connor was exactlly who we needed him to be and I appreciate his addition.

I think it's good to read stories to remind us that plans can go awry and everything still work out. This had so many cute moments between the reminder to not neglect yourself in the midst of helping others. Also the push that family (or the family you choose) is important, even when they mess up (or you do) and apologies all around are good when they happen. It was just the read I needed today, adorable and well rounded.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.