Emma Lord has done it again! The Rival is an absolute gem of a book that grabbed my attention from the first page and didn’t let go. With her signature witty writing, lovable characters, and a plot that kept me turning pages well into the night, it’s clear that Lord knows exactly how to craft a YA story that resonates.

The story follows Sadie, who finds herself in the middle of a high-stakes rivalry that tests her friendships, her heart, and her sense of self. What makes The Rival stand out is how Lord weaves themes of personal growth, complex relationships, and self-discovery into a fast-paced narrative full of both laugh-out-loud moments and tender, emotional beats.
The characters in this book are everything. They feel real, and their dynamics are both relatable and charming. The tension between the protagonist and the rival is palpable and adds so much depth to the story. The romantic subplot? Absolutely swoon-worthy, with the perfect balance of tension, chemistry, and humor.

But beyond the romance and rivalry, it’s the underlying messages of finding your own voice, confronting insecurities, and navigating the pressures of college that really stuck with me. Emma Lord has a magical way of tackling complex emotions with lightheartedness, making The Rival the perfect read for anyone looking for a story that’s as heartfelt as it is entertaining.

If you're a fan of Emma Lord's previous works, you'll adore The Rival—and if you’re new to her writing, this book is a perfect introduction to her style. A must-read for YA lovers, with just the right mix of humor, drama, and heart! Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

I've read every Emma Lord book I came across after reading "You Have a Match" desperate to find a book of the same level. I know it's possibly unfair to hold an author up to the standard of their previous books too harshly, but I felt this book came close to how enjoyable I found that book. The banter is beautifully written and I immediately fell in love with both characters. Their backstories and arcs make this such a delightful experience. I can't wait to get my hands on the audiobook version because I think that'll be something that just adds to the joy of this book. Highly recommended!

I love Emma lord. Her characters are always cute and quirky and the books are so fun to read. But enemies to… friends? Then lovers? Just didn’t pack the punch. I can get on board with the constant competition and one upping. But both characters seemed really sad throughout which made the emotion behind the competition feel flimsy. A fun read but not my fav of hers.

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the free book. These opinions are my own.

This may be my new favorite from Emma Lord. It features so much pining and childhood rivals who are so clearly meant to be together. After thinking she was finally rid of him, Sadie comes across Seb in their first week at college. And they are once again competing, this time for the one staff writing spot on the university's famous zine.

I really enjoyed the portrayal of the university and the students' work to encourage the administration to do better. I really love good chaos and would love to see more of it.

And I related to strongly to Sadie and her feeling that she had to be the good child who was perfect for her family. I found myself always wanting to know what Seb was thinking. But I didn't mind the single POV, because who he was came through so clearly in his actions and other people's observations of him.

This was just such fun. I already want to read it again and spend more time with Sadie, Seb, and all their friends. Plus cheesy pancakes!

4.5 stars rounded up

This was a little too corny and YA for me. The characters and dialogue were just not it at all. Super bummed because I loved her last book!!

This had much of Lord's signature quirk and charm, and the ending was lovely and heartwarming, but I had to push through the "enemies to lovers" set up that just didn't hit for me. I think the playfulness of the banter between the characters that we see in their interactions was jarringly antithetical to the deep and intense rivalry that we're just told about. But I'm a sucker for a thoughtful exploration of young adulthood and figuring out who you are and who you want to be in the world, even if I prefer the related inner conflicts to be a little smaller, and happen in front of us.

5 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for a complimentary copy of this book.

Emma Lord Does. Not. Miss.

I really resonated with this one. Remembering how lost you feel at the beginning of college and finding yourself along the way is something that felt so raw and real about this story, While most of the story was filled with joy, laughter and competition, there were some real moments that exhibited the true feelings of college from the community, to finding yourself, to coping with stress and so much more. I loved those aspects of the book. I loved the rivals to lovers aspect to this story. The tension between the two characters was great and didn't feel forced. I thought Sadie and Seb's back story of growing up together made it easy to believe their tension without seeing them for very long on the page. The only thing I wanted to make note of is that this book has a lot of language in it and I would suggest this for older teens rather than younger teens.

In this book you'll find:
Enemies/Rivals to lovers
He falls first
Slow Burn
College Shenanigans

You will always, always catch me reading rivals to lovers. This book was absolutely adorable and I think it perfectly embodies all of the feelings of navigating college and young love.

This is a delightful and charming read that will captivate fans of lighthearted, humorous, and hopeful stories about overcoming self-doubt, embracing one's true passions, and discovering the joy of love and friendship in the midst of academic competition.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

It’s really hard to give a review of this book without spoiling it, but I can tell you that it is adorable, funny, full of great characters, and just the right amount of plot twists.

I loved watching Sadie and Seb’s relationship as it transformed through these pages almost as much as I loved watching Sadie come into her own as she navigates college for the first time. Throw in some quirky family dynamics and it was GOLD. Kept me up late and made me laugh (not the best combination for my sleeping family members).

My one and only critique was that this book seemed to glorify college drinking. Does it happen? Of course, I’m not naive about that. But with glorifying something like this, there needs to be the realization that college age drinking can also be incredibly harmful and even fatal. The more we accept something in fiction, the more it might happen in reality. So if the author is going to talk about one aspect heavily, let’s at least glance at the other side of things too.

All in all, if you love rom-coms, slow burn, frenemies to lovers, pranks and hijinks mixed with journalism, you’ll love this book!

Emma Lord’s The Rival offers a promising premise with its blend of rivals-to-lovers romance and academic competition, but while the book has its charming moments, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of Lord’s previous works.

Sadie and Seb’s rivalry is set up as the cornerstone of the story, and their dynamic is filled with witty banter and a shared history that gives their interactions some spark. Sadie’s ambition and determination are relatable, as is her struggle with imposter syndrome and her desire to prove herself both academically and personally. Seb, on the other hand, is effortlessly likable, with just the right mix of confidence and vulnerability. Their slow-burn transition from rivals to allies to something more is engaging, though at times predictable.

The setting—a prestigious college with a cutthroat application to its famous zine—provides a fun, unique backdrop. The inclusion of flaws within the school’s competitive system adds an interesting layer to the story, giving Sadie and Seb a shared goal that forces them to reevaluate their priorities. However, the exploration of these systemic issues feels superficial, and the resolution comes across as rushed and overly simplistic.

One of the book’s strengths is its depiction of family dynamics. Sadie’s chaotic, supportive family brings warmth and humor to the narrative, and her struggle to share her writing talents with them is a touching subplot. However, the focus on family sometimes overshadows the romantic tension between Sadie and Seb, which can make the central romance feel underdeveloped.

While The Rival has its charm, it doesn’t quite hit the mark in balancing its various elements. The pacing can feel uneven, and some of the emotional beats don’t land as strongly as they could. Fans of Emma Lord’s earlier works might find this one enjoyable but not quite as memorable.

Thanks to Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for early access to The Rival in exchange for my honest opinion. The way Emma Lord writes YA is such a treat! And this book also includes a focus on the treat of pancakes 🥞 I’m not a pancake fan (but give me a waffle any day) but I really enjoyed their place in this book. Yes I know pancake and waffle batter is almost identical - I guess I’ve just had too many dry pancakes in my life to want to take the chance on one. But I have done my share of splitting a pancake for the table at a brunch spot - I'm willing to have a few bites!
I really enjoyed this book, and I'm excited it comes out 1/21. The tension and banter are so fun, and it reads with the best mix of reality and hilarious coincidence that you'd never want to actually be real. It rivals Begin Again for my favorite Emma Lord book! If you liked Begin Again and Emma Lord’s other YA/NA books, I think you'll love this book, too.

This was a such an enjoyable book. I really liked the love/hate relationship between Sadie and Seb. My favorite character in this book was Betty, the owner of the pancake place. She was such a grump, but deep down she had a heart of gold! :)

I really enjoy Emma Lord's writing style. Seb and Sadie had a fun rivalry and while it was not as dramatic as I thought it would be it was fun to follow. I loved their back and forth and how they still had great chemistry even when they "hated" each other. Their romance was very sweet. I was for sure giggling at points because they were so cute and so aloof. The drama with the school budget made the ending very interesting without feeling like a standard third act break up. Overall I really enjoyed this book.

The Rival is a rivals to lovers YA rom-com.

Sadie is starting college. She was so happy to be rooming with her best friend Christina. And to not have to see her long time academic nemesis Seb. But when he turns up on campus the rivalry heats up big time.

I know that rivals to lovers is a popular trope. Unfortunately it's not my favorite. However the author did a good job by adding so much more to the story than just the rivalry and the romance.

Sadie wanted to attend Maple Ridge University because she desperately wanted to get the one new staff position on Newsbag (the college’s very famous zine). This was such an enjoyable part of the story. I liked the challenges set to get the position, the other staff members and the constant battle with the college’s administration.

I like books that focus on academia and I really enjoyed the college campus setting. I really liked Sadie's best friend Christina (an athletic scholarship student). And Sadie's family was chaotic, but so much fun. But my favorite part of the story was everything to do with the student magazine.

A lot of the rivalry was funny. And while I like witty banter I don’t love seeing people try to win at all costs. I definitely preferred the couple when they were friendly. I’m not even sure that I really understand why they disliked each other.

If you love rivals to lovers then you will be enamored with this coming of age YA romance.

Engaging, charming, and fun!

The Rival is an amusing, feel-good, enemies-to-lovers romance that takes you into the lives of both Sebastian Adams, a young man who isn’t quite sure of what he wants to do in life but knows he who wants to do it with, and the driven, reliable Sadie Brighton who may finally have got into the school of her dreams and the opportunity to write for the Maple Ridge University zine with the unfortunate twist of having the one boy who has been wreaking havoc on her life since birth also there.

The writing is humorous and light. The characters are hardworking, passionate, and lively. And the plot is a push-pull tale full of tricky situations, tender moments, humorous hijinks, school-place drama, self-discovery, witty banter, friendship, expectations, chemistry, and love.

Overall, The Rival is another sweet, spirited, highly entertaining read by Lord with characters I couldn’t help but root for and a happy-ever-after ending that left me smiling, smitten, and more than satisfied.

Formal review to follow!

I appreciated the vivid setting and charming characters; Lord's words transport the reader into the collegiate competition field. Emma Lord masterfully crafts a romcom for the ages in this rivals to lovers story set in the tumultuous freshman year at university.

I don't read much contemporary ya, but I have to say I really enjoyed this! I loved Sadie and Seb's rivalry, especially when they started telling us all about what kind of pranks and sabotage they got up to while competing in high school.

Watching them realize what everyone they know, already knows, that they have feelings for each other was super adorable and heartwarming. I also enjoyed seeing Sadie grow and feel free to be herself. Sadie and Seb pushed each other to be better and were truly happy for each other when the other won.

This was a great first book for me to try from this author, I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end, I loved the romance, the relationships, and seeing Sadie and Seb grow and learn who they want to be.

I always know going into an Emma Lord book that I’m going to love it and she still hasn’t let me down. Love me a friends to enemies to lovers story. All of the characters were likable and diverse. I appreciated how the conflict played out. Loved rooting for Seb and Sadie. Loved all the food references (and despite Emma telling us to snack while reading in the dedication, I didn’t). This just felt like a warm comfort read.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ebook and the audiobook to review. I did both and enjoyed both formats!

This was a super cute YA romance, which is generally not my cup of tea, but I still enjoyed it for what it was! I personally felt like there were some inconsistencies throughout the plot, like Sadie choosing not to tell her entire family about her one passion in life and her rivalry with Seb given their lifelong relationship. While I loved the banter, Seb’s come ons also felt inauthentic at times. There seemed to be a lot off page conversations that we don’t really get to see as a reader so I think a story like this would’ve really benefited from a dual POV. I did really find the school dramatics entertaining even if not entirely believable.

Overall a cute, fun book that if I was younger I could probably appreciate more but just missed some marks for me!

Wholesome YA story. Sadie and Seb have known each other all their lives. Their parents were friends and purchased homes next to each other. But throughout their lives they have also feuded, pranked and been as the title says, Rival’s. Sadie thinks she has finally gotten away from Seb as she starts her first week of college. But out of nowhere his waitlist at her school was changed to acceptance. And now they are competing again for a spot on a coveted school zine.

There is some complexity to their characters particularly in how they see themselves in their families. I have an only child like Seb and the dynamics and pressures are different than bigger families. Sadie sees her place as the calm, reliable, peacemaker in her family. And she often sacrifices her own needs for her family. They both want more independence coming into college.

Emma’s writing is sharp witted and funny. I don’t know anyone who actually speaks like some of these characters but it is entertaining to read. The emotions her characters bring do feel real. This is my third book by the author and now I think I need to go back and read some of her earlier works while waiting for something new. (3.5 Stars)