There's something so comforting about reading Emma Lord's books, and I'm so happy that this book was no exception!

Begin Again is filled with lovable but flawed characters, a slow-burn but absolutely adorable romance, and the found family trope. It brought back a lot of memories of being in college and trying to navigate who you are and what you want to do with your life, while also balancing a difficult home life.

Andie is an easy character to love and relate to; she's trying to follow in her mom's footsteps, who she lost at a young age, by finding and joining the secret society she was part of and joining the Knight's Watch, the university's underground radio show. She's juggling her classes, learning more about her mom, and navigating her difficult relationship with her father, who left her to be raised by her two grandmothers for most of her life after her mother died. She's also a fiercely loyal friend and a "fixer," determined to provide help to anyone in her path who needs it.

Emma Lord does a great job of balancing light moments with serious ones, and this book, like her others, is filled with heart.

In all, I would definitely recommend picking up Begin Again!

Content warnings: mentions of death of a parent, cheating, grief, underage drinking.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Emma Lord never disappoints! Both my 16yo daughter and myself thoroughly enjoy this author and we recommend Emma Lord widely. Thank you Netgalley for the advance e-copies.

Emma Lord has created a marvellously funny rom-com again! I absolutely loved Andie and Milo, especially how they complimented and understood each other. The friend dynamic between the four main characters was written really nicely and the reveal with Andie’s boyfriend was handled super well. I would’ve wanted a bit more at the end of the book of Andie and Milo discussing things, but all in all I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for what Lord will come up with next!

A fun fourth installment from Emma Lord! I really enjoyed her first three books. Begin Again is in the New Adult category, as the characters are freshmen in college. It did take me about 25-30% into the novel to become invested.

I read less YA contemporary these days, but I’m always game to check out something new from Emma Lord since I’ve generally enjoyed all her books. Begin Again is no exception; though it’s not as beloved to me as her debut or sophomore novel, I appreciated how Lord chose to write a story about a character in her first year of college who is trying to figure things out — whether that means facing her fears, working out what she wants or trying something new. My freshman year of college was a somewhat similar journey (albeit to a lower degree), so I found that (and in particular, main character Andie’s personal emotional ups and downs) relatable.

There are some parts of the novel that felt underdeveloped (more telling than showing to me, especially her relationship with Connor, for instance), but since the whole point is to focus in on Andie’s personal growth, I could forgive it for the most part. Lord still managed to get me in my feels (there were definitely one or two chapters that made me emotional closer to the end), and I did wind up liking this one more than I thought I would when I read the first few chapters.

Cute, coming of age book that has potential, but missed the mark a little for me. Emma Lord is an amazing author but tbh is may be a first of hers I will not recommend.

Critical thoughts:
I don’t like how Andie replaces cuss words with other random words, it seems annoying and it also seems childish. She sometimes seems like a middle schooler rather than a college student. I also believe Emma Lord completely missed the mark on portraying college life correctly. Professors do not care what you are doing or if you are late. If they do not want you there, they lock the doors. They are there to be paid not to lecture you about time management (unless you’re taking a time management class ofc)

I was really, really impressed with this! I thought it was everything you could want out of a coming of age college set story. It had twists I didn’t see coming, which I GREATLY appreciated. It had a dead mom, which I did not know, but it was comforting by the end, thankfully. I enjoyed it a lot!

I an unable to review this title, as it was archived before I had a chance to download and read it. This feedback is only to stop this title from adversely affecting my netgalley feedback rate. If in the future I have the opportunity to read this title, I will post a proper review here.

An absolutely delightful and charming YA book about finding yourself, your passions and building community.

Andie has just transferred to Blue Ridge State ( her deceased mothers alma mater) after completing a semester of community college. Andie is determined to follow in her mothers footsteps to feel close to her but Andie is unknowingly weighed down by a less than present boyfriend and the pressure put on her by both him and his family.

This book perfectly encapsulates the wide-eyed joy of being a college freshman and finding your people. It also accurately portrayed the struggles and hardships that one goes through during those years. There was also a joyous side of whimsy with ribbon scavenger hunts and secret broadcasters that made this novel even more fun to read!

I really, really enjoyed this one!

4 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A sweet and enjoyable YA book with romance but also, even more significantly, themes of coming of age, closure, understanding yourself and pursuing your goals/dreams. It was a slow start but it did pick up and got exciting mid way. Definitely a good read for anyone in high school or early years of college.

I really liked Begin Again by Emma Lord. Full of lovable and relatable characters, it reinforces the idea it’s ok NOT to have everything figured out. I can totally relate to the main character, Andie, who likes to have a plan and stick to that plan. She’s also a “fixer” (sometimes to the detriment of what’s best for her). This results in a variety of hilarious albeit cringeworthy experiences as a mid year freshman transfer at her parents’ alma mater. Throughout the semester Andie She struggles to figure out how to make a space for herself instead of constantly worrying about what’s best for everyone else or that she’s not living up to the legacy of her mom who passed away when Andie was a preteen. I love the messages of forging your own path and that every day is an opportunity to Begin Again.

Thank you Wednesday Books for my copy of Begin Again! All thoughts are my own.

If you’re a fan of YA that takes the next step to transition it’s characters to college, this is the book for you. I thought this book was fun and contained a lot of transitional aspects that young people can relate to. it wasn’t a total winner for me, especially because I felt distant from the main character for most of the book, but I know a lot of other readers enjoyed it.

Synopsis:

What I Liked:

The Friend Group—I often get nostalgic for the good ole days of college and the friend group in this book definitely made me feel that way. I really loved how different everyone was and how fast they became close. That was the magic of college!

Andie’s Internal Discoveries—I wasn’t sure I was going to be Team Andie by the end of the book but her internal discoveries on her journey to finding herself vs just trying to follow in her mom’s footsteps were very satisfying and relatable for the age group.

The College Campus Vibes—Each school has something that makes it unique, and the ribbon challenges were such a fun and distinct aspect.

What Didn’t Work:

Almost Too Much Going On—I did this on audiobook so maybe that’s why I felt this way, but there just seemed to be so much going on. From the transfer mistake ala The Gift of the Magi (or so we thought), Andie’s father’s grief and their strained relationship, the friend group, the radio and ribbons…it was a little too much for me. I wanted things a little bit more streamlined.

Pacing—The above reasons caused the pacing to be totally off for me and that’s probably the most important thing I look for in the books I enjoy.

Character Authenticity: 3/5

Spice Rating: N/A

Overall Rating: 3/5

Content Warnings:

Grief, cheating, death of a parent, abandonment

This is one of those adorable contemporary romances where everything seems to just fall into place in the best of ways. Our main character has lost her mother and her biggest dream has been to go to the school where her parents met in college. This is one of those books where you are rooting for the main character to find her place and realize that she has found her place. This definitely has found family feels and the romance is adorable beyond measure. I have loved everything I have read from this author so far and can not wait to pick up her next book.

Pub date: 1/24/23
Genre: young adult (college setting)
Quick summary: Andie Rose transfers to her parents' alma mater, Blue Ridge State, with big dreams and the hope of reuniting with her long distance boyfriend. But when she finds out he transferred out, she'll have to find a new path.

I read this book in one day, and I really enjoyed getting to know Andie. She's an A type character with a ton of self-imposed responsibility, and I loved seeing how Blue Ridge helped her grow. Emma Lord gave her an A-plus cast of friends, including bookstagrammer roommate Shay and coffee addict RA Milo. There are plenty of fun college antics - working at Bagelopolis (I'd like to try their cookie dough cream cheese), competing to join a secret society, and giving advice to students (and teachers) on the campus radio station.

If you enjoy college-set stories, this is a fun one to pick up!

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Andie Rose's mother passed away when she was young, and her two amazing grandmothers moved in to help raise her while her dad was on the road for work. Now, after months of hard work, she is entering Blue Ridge State as a mid-year freshman transfer student. The plan was for her and boyfriend Connor to attend together, and this is her big winter surprise for him. I'll let you imagine how that turns out, but Andie's persistent and it's not long before the whole dorm, new roommate Shay and even RA Milo are rooting for her as she tries to collect ribbons for an eventual society membership. I really liked the way Blue Ridge State was described and how Andie's feelings ebb and flow as her college experience begins. Shay and Andie's awesome off campus work study jobs at Bagelopolis sounded great as well, every school needs an off-campus institution. It seems natural when she falls into the inner workings of the underground radio show The Knight's Watch, which was one her mother had a hand in creating.

I have enjoyed Emma Lord's books in the past but really struggled with this one. It wasn't as cute or fun as the others and her characters were so tough to root for.

Thanks to St Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book!

Emma Lord is my top YA author rec. I have yet to be disappointed in a book from her and she manages to handle serious topics authentically in each of her stories.

Begin Again centers around Andie Rose as she enters Blue Ridge State after transferring from community college. She's struggling to balance her new studies with her long distance boyfriend Connor, and her need to fix each of her friends problems - but she keeps putting her own needs on the backburner.

There was so much to love in this book, the college setting and the ribbons competition, the pirate radio station, all made for a fun setting. And as always Emma Lord had me craving food from Bagelopolis.

Highly recommend for anyone wanting a YA fix.

I loved this coming of age book that depicts things like grief, friends to love romance, long-distance romance and the struggle to find a major and life's work in a joyful, realistic way. The joy comes through in the writing. It's a wonderful, easy read, and that's a compliment. It stays with you after you finish, wondering about the characters and their future. Wonderful book.

Begin Again is a coming-of-age novel about Andie, a girl who has always known and stuck to the plan for her life. Follow in her mom's (and boyfriend's) footsteps to her prestigious dream college, major in psychology, and become a famous self-help guru. When her perfect plans start to go off the rails, Andie learns that sometimes our paths stray to show us where we're meant to be.

Emma Lord's writing is so comforting and relatable, and her banter is laugh-out-loud funny. My favorite thing about all her books, but this one in particular, is how she crafts her character-driven plots. The characters are so human and loveable, which makes their stories and relationships easy to emotionally invest in. I absolutely adored the romantic interest and watching their love develop, but I really appreciated the friendships and family stories just as much. This story deals with grief, the struggles of growing up, romance, and finding your own path and does it all so well.

This was a lovely new adult novel and another hit out of the park for Emma Lord. I also wish Bagelopolis was real because it sounds like a magical place.

"You don't have to prove anything to anyone."

SUCH AN AMAZING BOOK OMG. The love story, the friend group, the college life, self-identity, all of it😭😭😭 Andie Rose has always had her life planned out. After not getting into Blue Ridge State during her senior year of high school, she goes to community college to get high grades, and then apply again. After her first semester at community college, her hard work pays off when she gets into Blue Ridge State! This is the school where her parents met, and she hopes to follow their paths and reach success of her own. Best of all, she's able to go to school with her boyfriend Connor (who I ABSOLUTELY HATE🙄 ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING🙄). But, what happens when Andie gets to Blue Ridge and realizes that Connor transfers to the community college thinking Andie's still there? Now, Andie's living in guilt, but at the same time, she knows she has to live up to her mom's legacy. Andie's also got this record where she needs to fix everyone around her. So, when she meets her roommate Shay, who needs help finding a major? She tries to help in every way she can. (Btw, I love Shay, she's a bookstagrammer too😏). On top of that, Andie meets her R.A. Milo, who's dealing with family baggage involving the new relationship between his ex-girlfriend and his brother. With all of this going on, Andie also finds herself creating a voice on the school's pirate radio station, which also happens to be the station her mom founded all those years ago. Andie's getting her typical college life in there, but she's also trying to handle things with the Connor guilt and her estranged father. On the bright side, she's got Shay, Milo and Valerie by her side (I AM LOVING THE FRIEND GROUP). However, are those looks with Milo really just friendship looks....hmmmm. Also, major major PLOT TWIST AT THE END. Let me just say, Valerie and Andie's friendship is really a strong one, especially when we find out the truth about Connor🤢 A wonderful book about college life and the challenges that come with it, while also realizing that life is what happens when you're busy making other plans :)