This is an interesting sort-of YA novel aimed precisely at college freshmen. It deals a lot with leaving family for the first time, about sibling relationships as teens begin to emerge as young adults, and about beginning relationships. That aspect was thoughtfully handled, amid the fast-paced chaos of the rest of the book.

I do wonder if Emma Lord has not been in a college dorm for a long time; at least I'm told by various young people that the old saw about terrible dorm food is a generation out of date, and that nowadays most dorm food caters to a variety of dietary requirements--and that national chains are often present. (Also, considering the truly disgusting food combos the characters come up with, it seems a kettle and pot situation, but I digress)

That aside, though the slow burn romance (the rival is more of a frenemies situation that resolves very, very rapidly) could lead one to assume this is a "clean" romance, yet the frequent F-bombs and the casual references to underage drinking don't usually fit with what I understand to be a part of clean romance.

That said, I really enjoyed the main characters. Sadie definitely has plot armor, but I think wish fulfillment is a huge part of romance. Accept that in a year, she's going to cram in ten years of insights about love, relationships, and friendship, and that everything she touches will turn to gold, with admiration on all sides, including of course her love interest. Sadie is full of heart, her boy as well, and the diverse representation added to the charm for me.

I had to put this book down at about 20%. I typically love academic rivals story lines but I could not get into this

I love academic rivals to lovers and this felt like the encapsulation of all my favourite parts of the genre. Even when they were in their animosity era, Sadie and Seb clearly cared about each other a lot and it was so rewarding to watch them realize how important they were to each other. With stories of this type I sometimes find the constant competition/animosity annoying and immature so I appreciated that there was something deeper tying them together (also helps that they’re teenagers lol).

Super cute rom-com for not-just-young adults! I have loved every Emma Lord book I’ve read and this college -setting version is funny, sad, authentic and a joyful read. Sadie and Seb are great adversaries and the supporting cast from roommates, club members and family are spot on.

Thank you to #netgalley, #wednesdaybooks, the publisher and the author for this ebook arc of #therival to read. Review opinions are my own.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

The book opens up with Sadie is running (literally) towards her new college lifestyle, seemingly leaving behind her next door neighbor, and arch-nemesis for life, Sebastian (Seb), all behind her. But low and behold, she soon crashes into (literally) into Seb, who has now been admitted to the same school after coming off the wait list, just a few days prior.

Sadie and Seb reignite their rivalry vying for a writing spot on the college magazine, all the while, becoming closer in the process.

The right amount of angst, banter, and yearning that made for an excellent read. My only criticism was I found it hard to believe at times, Sadie's relationship with her family for the majority of the book.

I love the way Emma Lord writes close friendships between the romantic leads, and this is no exception. You'd think I'd get tired of it because it's a similar dynamic much of the time (especially in her most recent books) but I never do because it's SO well done and my favorite thing to read in romantic relationships anyway. Big fan of this book, and I thought it balanced the main relationship with the various side plots/side relationships well!

I was invited by the publisher to review this book, and I was so excited to receive this because I am a big fan of Emma Lord! Sadie and Seb are rivals, particularly academic rivals. When Sadie heads off to college, she is glad to be free of Seb - except, Seb unexpectedly winds up at the same college. Their feud starts up again, but then Sadie starts to notice particular feelings for Seb that crop up along the way. I loved the characters of Sadie and Seb, and I personally enjoyed the academic setting and rivalry; that was a fun spin to the rivals to lovers storyline. The characters also had really good tension and chemistry, and while it was a slow climb to get them together, the book itself never felt slow. A side storyline that I enjoyed was the school itself, and how Seb and Sadie uncover imperfect aspects of how the school is run.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Every Emma Lord book is YA perfection. Her gift is writing such relatable loveable characters with fun packed plot and super cute romance. This was such pleasure to read.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a wild ride of competition, unexpected alliances, and some serious rivalry.

Sadie’s finally done it—she's beaten Seb, her childhood rival, to get into her dream college. But the universe had other plans because Seb ends up getting in too.

Now, she’s stuck competing with him again, this time for a spot on the school’s legendary zine.

As they compete, Seb and Sadie start to uncover some shady stuff about the school’s system. So now they have to team up to tackle something bigger than their own rivalry.

The banter, the tension, the slow-burn realization that they might be more alike than they thought? Perfection.

Fans of Emma Lord’s other books will feel right at home, this book was so much fun!

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC!

This was my first Emma Lord read and it won’t be my last! I really enjoyed this story focusing on Sadie’s point of view in her life, and I appreciated the family aspect in this one. This was a fun read overall

Possibly Emma Lord's best book to date! The Rival was everything I wanted from a YA romcom and more.
To start with, all the themes that Emma wove into it! There was LGBTQ rep without it feeling pandering or just the "gay best friend" trop that needs to die. There was family dynamic struggles, identity struggles, friendships, relationships and activism! Plus of course, Emma's signature crazy confections, this time in the form of cookies and pancakes.
The friends-to-enemies-to-lovers was also so fun. Sadie and Seb grew up next door their whole lives, the classic, their dads were best friends who married women who became best friends, and then they had kids and became neighbours. But what both of their families dont know is that Seb and Sadie kind of hate each other and all their competitions throughout high school actually had some malicious intentions behind them. You can imagine Sadie's frustration when Seb then follows her to college AND is competing for a writing position against her.
The journalism elements: this actually might have been one of my favourite parts. Sadie has a biting humour that I loved getting to see her explore, while Seb goes more for a hard hitting depth. I could keep going with this review, but honestly just go read it and enjoy.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a good book! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. This is a first by this author but will not be my last! I read this in one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down.

This my first Emma Lord book. I might have just been in the wrong mood for this book- because nothing was inherently wrong with it. I might have to go back and revisit when the mood strikes. I love good YA

Sadie and Seb grew up next door to each other. They have been competing their whole lives. The one time Seb gets the last spot college she is heartbroken, as she will be competing again for a spot on the school’s famous zine. Their families have always been close. Feelings, friendships and ties are tested. They will discover although friendly competition can be fun, you might not want to hurt those closes to each other. A fun read.

Thanks a bunch for the review copy. I adore Lord’s books. I’m also now craving some pancakes. I liked Seb and Sadie.

The way Lord portrays Sadie’s internal struggles and evolving feelings for Seb feels incredibly authentic. I found myself laughing at their playful exchanges and rooting for their unexpected partnership as they tackle systemic issues together. The blend of witty banter, emotional depth, and insightful commentary on the college experience made this book a standout read for me. Lord’s skilful storytelling ensured I was engaged from start to finish, leaving me with a smile and a sense of satisfaction.