Emma Lords YA books just hit a sweet spot for me every single time. She writes such funny and relatable young characters and takes them on fun journeys that help them let loose and grow so much. I’ve found that every one of her books so far has had a few elements that touched on something deeper than just a fluffy romance, and in this one I could so relate to Andy’s struggles with her mom having passed and trying to live up to a standard in her honor. This was adorable, fluffy, fun and so emotional at times !!

Obsessed with anything Emma Lord writes. I know once I start the book I won’t put it down until I’m done.

Begin again was no exception. Loved this story about starting over, second chances, heartbreak, loss and so much more.

Milo and Andie are the most charming and lovable characters and you can’t help but feel EVERY emotion they feel. From the losses they both have experienced to betrayals by friends/family to new friendships that become family you feel it all!

Heartwarming YA story that constantly made me want to drink all the tea and coffee.

A heartfelt coming of age YA college romance that sees Andie Rose transferring to the school where her dead mother went trying to forge a connection she's never had before. Along the way she finds a new friend group and struggles with a long distance romance.

This wasn't my favorite by Emma Lord but it was still enjoyable. I liked the underground radio broadcasting crew and the secret society vibes. Good on audio too narrated by Georgina Sadler. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital copies in exchange for my honest review!!

This was a cool concept!! I do think the ending felt rushed and parts (long distance boyfriend) were a bit dragged out. Overall a decent YA read

Thank you netgalley for eARC in exchange for an honest review

4 stars

Emma Lord will be hitting the ground running in 2023 with a slight departure from her previous three YA books: a venture into New Adult territory! While this book is (in my opinion MIS-) labeled as YA across platforms, for me, it falls squarely in the New Adult camp, and there are no resulting losses.

Andie, the m.c., is in the middle of her undergraduate experience, which means that she has the opportunity to learn SO MUCH about nearly every aspect of her life. Early on, readers learn that Andie is grappling with the loss of her mother and that her mother's death plays a complex role in her current major life decisions. This is an absolutely gripping part of the novel and Andie's development, and folks who enjoyed this element of an absent mom in _When You Get the Chance_ will be hard pressed not to find some parallels here (though there are also some clear distinctions). Andie also has a partner who seems sketchy from the jump, but how is one to feel otherwise about a certain type of fella of this age and stage? Her life decisions also seem a little too closely tied to this individual for more experienced readers' comfort. But Andie is not just shaped by her relationship to her past; she also has important lessons to learn about prioritizing herself, creating an individual sense of self based her interests and merits, and keeping her own best interests in mind.

Incoming fans of Lord's (raises hand here) and readers who appreciate a solid coming of age story will find much to love here. To be transparent, I adore YA and often feel the opposite about New Adult, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed this NA from Lord as much as (and in some cases more than) I've enjoyed her YA novels (which is quite a lot overall). Readers who have similar hesitations should definitely give this one a go.

I started the book excited to read more from this author and am ending it feeling the same!