This was cute and predictable. While I typically enjoy YA, this one just didn’t resonate with me at all. I liked the complex emotions around going away to college, but it was melodramatic plenty of times, which I have a hard time with as a 30-something year old adult now.
Ultimately, it was fine! I will probably forget about it within a few days.

✨ The Vibes ✨
Rival journalists fighting the attraction between them

📖 Read if…
✨ You had a high school rival
✨ You love a campus novel
✨ You prefer rivals-to-lovers over straight up enemies-to-lovers

In a way, I feel like The Rival was written specifically for me.

For years, I’ve been searching for novels about the college experience, specifically contemporary titles that give insight into the highs and lows of being a college student. This quest is likely due to the fact that I couldn’t find many of these books when I was a student, and now they just make me feel nostalgic for my time on campus.

Emma Lord’s latest YA rom-com, The Rival, follows two college freshman, Sadie and Seb, as they continue their long simmering rivalry in college when they find themselves competing for a staff spot on the campus zine.

The rivals-to-lovers trope worked so well in this one, mainly because the rivalry and reason for Sadie and Seb’s conflict felt very believable. The pacing was also stellar and I loved that there were actual moments that led to the thawing between them, rather than some sort of instant “ooh we like each other now” switch flipping.

The other elements of the story, like the student news publication and funding for student activities plotline were great as well. I felt like I was transported back to my own undergraduate student journalist days reading about the meetings and fights over funding, which really speaks to how descriptive and transportive the story is.

Overall, I just really enjoy Emma Lord’s writing. She has a unique voice, incorporates pop culture in a way that feels timeless, and crafts conflicts that feel incredibly relatable. And in The Rival, all of these skills shine brighter than ever. I’m so excited for whatever Lord cooks up next.

The Rival is out now. Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a cute and heartwarming read! The Rival has all the classic Emma Lord charm—fun banter, lovable characters, and a romance that’s just the right amount of fluffy.


The story follows Sadie, who thinks she’s finally beat her longtime academic rival (and next-door neighbor), Seb, by snagging the only spot at her dream college… until he shows up after getting pulled off the waitlist. Now they’re stuck competing again—this time for a spot on the school’s super competitive zine. Cue academic tension, chaotic family moments, and some feelings that are definitely not resentment.


Sadie and Seb’s dynamic is such a fun mix of rivals-to-lovers with a bit of friends-to-lovers thrown in. Their chemistry builds slowly but sweetly, and I really enjoyed how their relationship evolved as they started to see each other more clearly.

The academic setting adds a fun, fast-paced backdrop, and the romance stays sweet and age-appropriate, making it a great pick for YA readers. The chaotic family dynamics, Sadie’s hidden love of writing, and the subtle critique of competitive college culture add layers beyond the romance. While the pacing drags a little in places, the overall story is funny, cozy, and full of heart.

Overall it was funny, feel-good, and just really enjoyable. If you’re into academic rivals, slow-burn romance, and stories that make you smile, definitely give this one a try!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars

There is just something so comforting when you pick up an Emma Lord book! 🥰

This rivals to lovers was super cute. I really grew to love Sadie and Seb. I just loved the banter between them. The journalism parts were fun. There were a lot of pop culture references but i think that’s part of Lord’s charm!

Another great Emma Lord romcom with her trademark humor and heart! It did feel a little slow at times and maybe slightly repetitive about their rivalry/inevitable romance, but I'm still glad I read it. Overall, a good book, but not my favorite of hers (I think that's still TWEET CUTE).

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

This was the cutest YA(new adult?) book! It was such a quick read and Emma Lord did it again! I love she has her personal takes on cute little romances and balances the depth and the lighthearted pieces. This was a great figuring out who you are story in college. Highly reccomend if you like: rivals to loves, friends to lovers, YA romance, competitions, coming of age, and fun books about writers.

Star: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 0️⃣

I always love reading an Emma Lord novel, and The Rival was another entertaining and adorable YA romcom from her. While we sense that romance between Sadie and Seb building with lots of tension, I loved that this also focused on the school they were going to and an imbalance in the system. The romance itself really builds around that, and I thought it was a great way to add depth. I also loved the friendship between Sadie and her bestie Christina as well as Sadie’s relationships with her various family members. They all impacted the story, especially as we get towards the end where Sadie has some important conversations and realizations.

The audiobook gave me mixed feelings and it was mostly down to Jesse Vilinsky’s pacing. It felt a little erratic to me, and I struggled to find a speed to listen to her on that didn’t make the audiobook sound weird. That being said, I did love her narration for the characters, especially the tone she used to voice Rowan, and she was certainly very enthusiastic. The themes in the book were really important, and I loved that they were approached with Lord’s trademark charm and humor. The competition between Sadie and Zeb added to the general tension between them, and this was a very approachable read that kept me engaged. I also happen to have loved the ending which left a smile on my face as the credits rolled.

Read this if you are looking for: Hilarious banter, pancakes (IYKYK), and no spice.

Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫

This charming frenemies-to-lovers tale explores the spirited rivalry between Sadie and Seb, childhood friends and neighbors who've spent their lives in constant competition. As they embark on their college journey, the story delves into the evolution of their relationships—not just with each other, but also with their families and friends. Along the way, Sadie and Seb grapple with self-discovery, striving to define who they truly are beyond the weight of others' expectations and who they are if they are no longer always competing against each other.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Rival by Emma Lord is such a cute, fun YA romance! It follows two childhood friends-turned-rivals who end up at the same college, competing for a coveted writing position at the campus magazine, Newsbag. Both Sadie and Seb have personal reasons for wanting the spot, and those motivations slowly unravel as the story progresses.

I really enjoyed hearing Sadie’s inner dialogue—she’s witty, determined, and just a little chaotic in the best way. Watching her grow (and Seb too, though especially Sadie) was one of my favorite parts of the book. Their chemistry was so fun, and there were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that made this such an enjoyable read.

I listened along with the audiobook, which really helped bring the story to life. The narrator did a fantastic job capturing the characters and their energy!

Another cute rom-com from Lord. Safe to say, I will read anything she writes, just give it to me!

This is a rivals-to-lovers college romance, with characters who would tell you they hate each other but it's clear there's a lot of attraction boiling right under the surface. I liked that as much as Sadie and Seb bickered, they knew each other so well and killed it as a team when they worked together.

The secondary plot of what was going on with the school's funding was interesting and gave a nice balance to the romance. Also the conversations around mental health and pressures in school sports were a good addition.

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

I love enemies to lovers!
This was a super cute finding yourself romcom!
I loved the two main characters and Sadie's chaotic family!
I really liked that Sadie wanted to be a comedic writer! It was different than the usual journalism or author trope!
It made me a little hungry every time it mentioned eating pancakes 😂.
It was YA, so there was no spice, and it was a super slow burn!
I still really liked it, and it was a fun read!

I really wanted to dnf this book but it was my first arc and really wanted to give it a review (hence the late review). I understand that the characters are fairly young, around 18ish, but they were just too immature for my liking especially Sadie.. The book was set in college but it very much gave high school rivals. The pacing of the book was too fast and chaotic. By the time things started to intensify, the book ended.

DNF - I attempted to start this book and it just did not hold my interest. This may be a book I come back to in the future.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this book after reading and loving Tweet Cute, another YA romance by Emma Lord. But unfortunately, I really struggled reading this book. I gave it as much of a chance as I could, but after reaching 57% and still trudging through, I’ve decided to DNF it.

Sadie and Seb are starting their freshman year at Maple Ride. They’ve shared a childhood together due to their parents being close friends, fostered a brutal rivalry that they can’t seem to escape, and now they might be even sharing complicated feelings for one another. But with both of their eyes on a singular spot on the staff of Newsbag, the college’s campus zine, tensions are running high.

I have a love-hate relationship with the writing style. At times, it seems to hit its mark of delivering the story in a fun, quirky tone. Other times, it comes across flat and absolutely cringeworthy. The main focus of the plot is the conflict of two childhood frenemies competing for one staff position, and it’s clear there was an attempt to add depth in Sadie’s quest to embrace her true comedian and abandon the role of family peacekeeper and Seb’s dilemma of pursuing his dad’s desire a major in engineering despite finding his true passion in journalism. For me, it just fell flat. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and their struggles, even though their experience of establishing independence and making big life choices as a college freshman is not a unique one.

Overall, this one just wasn’t for me. I lacked interest in the story, and it felt like so many pages without much happening in terms of moving the plot and the characters forward. I’m still open to reading more of Emma Lord’s work and hoping this is just one of those times a book didn’t click.

I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as Emma Lord's last book, The Getaway List. There just seemed to be so many things that were off and made the story less enjoyable.

This is supposed to be an enemies to lovers type story, but the main characters aren't really enemies, they're rivals, which didn't have the same feel to it as if they'd been actual enemies. And once you find out why they're rivals, it nearly ruins the story. There is absolutely no reason that their rivalry should have lasted this long, because if they were as good of friends as they claimed, the whole situation would have been cleared up pretty quickly. It's so silly and way more juvenile than it needs to be.

I liked Seb, but I couldn't really click Sadie. She's the peacekeeper of her family, which I totally understand, but at the same time she doesn't really talk to her sisters and she's embarrassed by everyone. Like I get that your family can be loud and obnoxious; whose can't? But to be constantly embarrassed by them is so odd. Also, Seb's family spends every Sunday with hers and has for years and they never cleared up what made them rivals in the first place? I just don't buy it.

Most of the side characters are pretty forgettable. The author spent so much time trying to make them ~quirky~ and ~unique~ that it really fell flat. The only one I can even really remember is Betty. And while I enjoyed her characters, she even got to be too much. Christina, supposedly Sadie's best friend, is shoved to the side and forgotten for a good chunk of the book. Sadie doesn't understand her point of view, which seems to happen a lot. The Newsbag people were the most forgettable to me. I guess the author felt that since they all wanted to be writers that they had to be as unique and different as possible? The author tried way too hard which ended up having the opposite effect of what I feel she was going for.

This isn't terrible; there are some good parts with some character growth. I think this might have worked better though as a dual POV so we could get the other side of the story.

Emma Lord’s The Rival is a captivating young adult novel that delves into the complexities of friendship, competition, and self-discovery. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Maple Ridge University, the story follows Sadie Brighton and Sebastian “Seb” Adams, childhood neighbors whose relationship has oscillated between camaraderie and rivalry. Their longstanding competition reaches new heights when they find themselves vying for a coveted position on the university’s esteemed zine, Newsbag. 

Lord masterfully portrays the nuanced dynamics of Sadie and Seb’s relationship. Their interactions are infused with witty banter and palpable tension, reflecting a deep-seated history that adds depth to their evolving connection. As they navigate the challenges of their freshman year, both characters grapple with familial expectations and personal aspirations, making their journeys resonate with authenticity. 

The novel’s setting is richly developed, immersing readers in the collegiate atmosphere of Maple Ridge University. From the intricacies of student organizations to the pressures of academic life, Lord captures the essence of the college experience with both humor and insight. The supporting cast, including Sadie’s best friend Christina and the diverse members of the Newsbag staff, further enrich the narrative, each contributing their own unique perspectives and challenges. 

While the central theme revolves around the enemies-to-lovers trope, The Rival transcends clichés by delving into deeper issues such as identity, the weight of parental expectations, and the courage required to embrace one’s true self. Lord’s writing is both engaging and thought-provoking, balancing lighthearted moments with poignant reflections. 

Final Thoughts:
The Rival is a delightful blend of humor, romance, and self-exploration. Emma Lord delivers a story that is both entertaining and meaningful, offering readers a glimpse into the transformative journey of young adulthood. Fans of contemporary YA fiction will find much to appreciate in this heartfelt narrative.

Emma Lord does it again! I look forward to her books every year and the never disappoint.

This book takes a great spin on the idea of finding yourself in college: what if who you thought you were going to he isnt quite right? Can you find yourself alongside someone who knew the old you? What do you do when your friend starts finding their true self too?

This book is full of heart, humor, acceptance, and so many pancake references you better start planning your hextctrip to uour l9cal pancake place now!

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. I do enjoy Lord's books and like how the characters are portrayed here. It all ties up in a nice little bow in the end but some of the plot twists I did not expect which was a nice surprise. It does fall into tropes but does play with them well and I did enjoy the banter with Seb and Sadie. It was a quick read for me that did not have any real low points so if you just want to escape the world, I recommend this. 3.75 stars.

This one was pretty cute. It’s a nice and
fluffy, no stakes read about childhood
frenemies turned lovers against a
college backdrop. The university setting
made for some really fun background
characters and situations.

Like always, if Emma Lord is writing it, I'll be there. This time with both the physical book and audio, for me to make sure I don't miss a moment!

The stand out treats of this book: Pancakes and cookies. Although there was a easy-to-make dorm food challenge as well that brought up a lot of interesting snacks!

Seb and Sadie have always known each other. Their families live next door to each other, and with parents who are best friends, they couldn't avoid each other. But when friendly pranks turn serious, it creates an academic rivalry that spurred them to even greater heights at school. When Sadie won the scholarship to Maple Ride, she thought this was finally her chance to thrive away from Seb.

Until she runs into him - literally, with a smoothie spill to cement the collision - when she's looking for the building that houses the school's magazine offices for "The Newsbag". It's been Sadie's dream for as long as she can remember, and when they learn that there's only one spot open, Sadie knows she'll pull out all the stops to take Seb down.

But being at college isn't everything she expected. Her best friend Christina is running herself into the ground with cross country practices. Sadie finds herself missing her family, but also feeling like she needs to keep her distance to finally be "the real Sadie" for once. And Seb... turns into maybe an ally, at least someone who knows what it's like to miss her family and feel adrift in their new school.

I loved the connection between Seb and Sadie, even when they thought they were competing ruthlessly. Their growth is great, finally getting to come into their own and not act how they feel they're expected to. The news articles they come up with keep them invested in the school, making Maple Ride come alive and not just be a background setting.

As for the audio, I thought Jessie Valinsky did a great job conveying how tightly wound Sadie could be, how much pressure she was putting on herself. A great listen or read, however you choose to pick this one up.