My thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St.Martin's Publishing for the ARC of "The Rival" in exchange for an honest review.
Now here's a challenge that faces any author brave enough to attempt yet another 'childhood-friends-to-adolescent-enemies-to-at-long-last-sweethearts' YA romcom.
How to you make your book distinctly different from the hundreds upon hundreds of similar titles that came before yours?
My reading hat's off to Emma Lord, who somehow arrives at Mission Accomplished..
How did she do it? To start, she makes sure her 'lovebirds-but-they-don't-know-it-yet', Sadie and Seb, are extra vulnerable and impossibly adorable. Next, she places these lifelong neighbors and rivals as incoming freshman in a college that seems like a Cozy Never-Neverland - awash in all sorts of oddball clubs that receive precious little funding from an administration that lavishes donor money on athletics.
Sadie and Seb, both gifted writers with separate career goals, fiercely compete for coveted positions on 'Newsbag', the school's celebrated zine. Extraordinary wits, the snap-crackle-pop of their back and forth repartee makes whole chunks of this book a laugh-out-loud joy to read.
Is it even necessary for me to describe what develops between them as they do verbal battle with each other while upending the college's corrupt overfunding of sports? But when the inevitable kissing finally arrives, you can't help but happily sigh while turning the pages.
I'm even willing to forgive author Lord for tacking on one of those endless, redundant epilogues, since I did find these characters, their families and pals still fun to hang out with. (Which often isn't the case in lengthy wrap-ups I've encountered in books that wore out their welcome.)
Yes, a well worn storyline for sure, but told with genuine heart and plenty of sharp humor.

This book was a lot of fun. It was laugh out loud funny, and filled with shenanigans, hijinks, and excellent banter. I was expecting a romcom, and this is not that. It does have a romantic subplot though, which was very cute and sweet. Sadie and Seb have known each other for their entire lives, and she’s spent most of that time loathing him. The only way she knows how to interact with him is to compete against him in a cutthroat rivalry that consumes every aspect of their lives. And the only way he knows how to get her attention is to beat her at things and to tease her. They were super adorable together. I’d say this book is less a love story and more of a coming of age story about finding yourself in college and learning where you fit within your family dynamics. It was enjoyable, heartwarming, and cute.
🥞
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️
🥞
Read if you like:
▫️rivals to lovers
▫️she hates him
▫️he falls first and harder
▫️black cat x golden retriever
▫️coming of age story
🥞
Thank you to Wednesday Books, MacMillan Audio, Emma Lord, and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC. I received advanced copies for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Really fun book, it had me smiling all the way through. Sadie and Seb were funny, had great banter and chemistry. Having being frenemies for most of their lives made for a great dynamic, they were relentless in trying to one up each other. As they navigate college life and self discovery they come to terms that maybe they might be more than just rivals. I like that it also showed realistic examples of different relationships, like how she felt being the middle child and thinking like she had to be the buffer between her family members and how that affected her relationship with her sisters. Then her relationship with her best friend Christina and how she had to learn to support and see things from her perspective. Also all the interactions with the university clubs were so fun, I would have been part of the Random Acts of Chaos Club for sure. Their actions and problems were very representative of their age (18) not trying to sound or act older than that which was nice. Overall very enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

3.5 stars
Happy Publication day to one of the most funa nd enjoyable books I've read this year! I am always keen on reading a good academic romance. I loved Sadie and Seb's banter throughout and how they really band together to reveal the truth about their school despite risking everything they've been working towards for so long. This book was witty, charming and heartwarming to say the least.

This is a sweet, fun YA college romance. High school rivals and life-long family friends turned lovers. There's forced proximity while they compete for the same writing spot for their college's newspaper.

Both Sadie and Seb grow up a lot over the course of the book. Sadie knows who she wants to be but has never fully allowed herself to show people that person. A new setting with other people trying to do the same really allows her to blossom.

Seb's parents have certain expectations of him. Attending Maple Ride comes with conditions. If he doesn't get the spot on the paper he needs to transfer mid-year to his father's preferred university. Over the course of the book he learns how to communicate his wants and needs to his parents so he can live the life he wants.

It doesn't do anything new but it's a good time. I really enjoyed it. There is no spice. Perfect for fans of Lynn Painter's Better Than the Movies.

There are so many rivals-to-lovers books out there, they feel like copycats. When something is so predictable, there has to be something to set the story apart. And that’s what Emma Lord does with The Rival. Her bright prose and interesting characters make The Rival stand out.

Lord’s pacing is steady, and her passion for writing is mirrored in Sadie and Seb. The duo’s relationship evolves against the backdrop of a college campus. Campus life is highlighted from all the angles — classes, sports, extracurricular activities, and local haunts. And each of these angles comes with great imagery and supporting characters.

The Rival is a sweet, slow burn romance that will excite readers for the future while offering enjoyment in the present.

Emma does it again!
The Rival by Emma Lord was sweet and shared so much more than a love story.
Emma Lord always writes sweet and fun novels, but I think this one might just be her best yet.
Her characters are always perfectly crafted and the romance swoon-worthy and sweet. I can't wait to read so much more from Emma. She is on fire!
A delightful rivals-to-lovers YA romcom that will warm your heart and leave you with a sense of hope and inspiration.
Lord has been an auto-read author for me for a few years now, and The Rival did not disappoint!

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this approved eARC!

Rounded up from 4.5 stars. Let me just start by saying that the banter and dialogue in this are HILARIOUS! I was chuckling while reading. This book had me all in my feels remembering how I felt first going off to college. I loved seeing Sadie grow into her own skin and gain confidence. I do wish we got a little bit more of Seb’s character growth in this. I did like the rivals turned lovers plot line. I liked the shared history and sense of family that they have. I loved the relationships they built with their schoolmates and Sadie’s sisters. I just wanted a little more out of the main plot line and the rivalry and I felt like the ending drug on just a smidge too long for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

I tolerated this one...mostly. I liked the strong female characters but eventually Sadie became pretty insufferable. She's a teenager who has such severe anxiety she definitely should have been in therapy. I also really really got an ick feeling from her relationship with Seb. They were raised like siblings or close cousins and somehow, after a couple weeks, are now in love. This after years of apparently hating each other.

“I think no matter what we are to each other, our lives are Bette reign each other in them than without.”

The Rival by Emma Lord
Release date:January 21, 2024
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Age rating:14+
Spice:none

Thank you Emma Lord and Netgalley for this arc! I had a fun time reading this one. It did take me a minute to get into it but once it got to a certain point I literally couldn’t put it down. The plot was interesting and fun. I found Sadie relatable and loved reading about her trying to figure out how to be herself. Her rivalry with Seb was very entertaining. Their banter and bickering made me laugh so much. I loved watching their relationship go from rivals to friends to lovers. Im happy it was an actual rivals to lovers and not just a ‘this person is kind of annoying to I love them’ if that makes sense. At times I was just screaming at them to hurry kiss because the chemistry was just so good. The way they totally understood each other was just so sweet. I found myself giggling several times. Really enjoyed the college atmosphere and everything with the newspaper it was really fun. If you’re looking for a cute romcom that’s actual rivals to lovers I’d recommend this one!

Sadie is ready to breakout on her college campus as the newest writer on Newsbag, until she discovers her lifelong nemesis has followed her to campus and plans to compete for the same spot.

Emma Lord always does such a great job of focusing on identify in her YA books. This is no different, but I was missing the family element. I feel like most of her books have a really strong family element and while Sadie and Seb's families were mentioned and even made some appearances, they were not as central to the story. Overall, I liked it and think I have some students who would enjoy it as well!

This was a surprisingly delightful read! I’m usually wary of books trying to have explicitly funny characters or characters that try to make jokes because so much of the time it falls flat but this was such a fun, cute, and genuinely funny read. The only downsides were that the end dragged a bit and it lost some of its fun tone near the end when it just right after fight after fight. But it found its way back and ultimately I had a good time. Definitely one to read if you’re into YA romance.

Sadie and Seb have been high school rivals and Sadie thought she was free to pursue her secret dream at college. But a couple days in, she runs into Seb and realizes they're competing for the same spot to write for the well known school paper. Free of their very enmeshed families, Sadie begins to realize that competing with Seb wasn't really compelled by hate and made her better.

This was an okay coming of age story, but it just wasn't for me. The Over The Top college experience and jumping into bureaucratic college funding policies just wasn't relatable to my college experience. The banter was okay but I couldn't fully relate to Sadie hiding so completely who she was that even her sisters didn't recognize her wit. The feeling of being too much for people is common, but rather than showing Sadie's family in all their glory, the reader is told that her family is a lot with a few chapters that include them to back it up.

I'm not the target market for this story but I didn't feel nostalgic like I have in Lord's previous stories. I'd skip this one.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC.

Much like every other Emma Lord book I’ve read, The Rival is another captivating coming-of-age story of a young woman working on figuring out who she is and who she wants to become. Sadie is an incoming college freshman with a plan - leave her lifelong Rival Seb behind and join the college zine, Newsbag. So when she runs smackdab into someone on the way to the first meeting, she’s stunned to see Seb standing in front of her and his smoothie down her front, happy as all get-out to see her and explains that he got in off the waitlist. Now she’s forced to resume their animosity in the face of having to compete with him again, this time for a place at Newsbag. She’s also disappointed, as she saw college as an opportunity to figure out who she really is and what she wants, and the constant reminder of her past self makes that more challenging. As Sadie and Seb spend more time together because of the zine and rediscover the tight bond they once shared, before they became rivals, secrets drive them apart while their shared history and close family ties (along with an undeniable chemistry) bring them back together, and they have to come to terms with who they want to be, and whether they fit into each other’s futures. Exciting, earnest, and endearing, The Rival is perfect for any age reader, and asks the question if its ever too late to figure out who you are and who you want by your side as you become who you are meant to be.

THE RIVAL is another swoony YA romance from the queen, Emma Lord! It always feels so exciting holding Emma's newest release in my hands. Her books never fail to put a smile on my face!

Sadie and Seb have been lifelong rivals. Sadie gets the only coveted spot to her dream college -- so color her surprised when Seb makes it off the waitlist and she has to compete with him once again. This time, Sadie and Seb are competing for a spot on the school's famous zine.

I could relate to Sadie as a fellow middle child who was often the one trying to keep the peace. The family dynamics added another layer to both Sadie and Seb, in much different ways.

There are so many loveable side characters. I also loved the competition antics and how, along the way, Sadie and Seb supported each other.

THE RIVAL is another home-run from Emma Lord, with her usual witty writing!

Title: The Rival
By: Emma Lord
Pub. Date: January 21, 2024

Genre:
Fiction, Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
*VERY CLEAN READ* (only kissing)

Summary:
Sadie’s dream is to be a member of her college newspaper staff, Newsbag. She is brimming with excitement to leave home and fully embrace the writer she aspires to become, only to have her dreams come crashing down when she unexpectedly collides with her greatest adversary Seb, the one boy who has been a constant thorn in her side for as long as she can remember. Apparently, he is no longer waitlisted at Maple Ridge, but now he is also vying for her coveted spot on the Newsbag team. What is Sadie supposed to do? Stay enemies, giving him the silent treatment or keep her enemies closer?

Review:
The Rival is another light, heartfelt, and effortlessly enjoyable read. Although this isn’t my favorite Emma Lord novel, she has crafted relatable characters who evolve from rivals into something more, all through her distinctive and engaging young adult style. I found myself struggling with the challenge of reviewing this novel, particularly due to the somewhat jarring transitions between the characters' thoughts, and overly sentimental cheesy dreams, which felt a bit out of place, momentarily disrupting the flow for me. I wish I could give it half stars, but since I can’t, I am rounding up to four stars.

Thank you to Emma Lord, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#TheRival
#EmmaLord
#StMartinsPress
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#NetGalley

Seb and Sadie have been feuding for years. As children of best friends, with families so intertwined they spend Sunday breakfast together, Sadie is thrilled to finally have a break from her frenemy when she starts college. Until Seb shows up and they continue their angsty “will they/won’t they” rivalry in a different setting. Emma Lord touches on the struggles high level college athletes face while incorporating university sponsored club life. She gives us a well rounded story that leaves readers with a sense of satisfaction at its conclusion.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Emma Lord can't be stopped. She again writes a funny and heartwarming story with characters I'm angry I can't be friends with. I loved the freshman year college setting -- a time of excitement and uncertainty. It was the perfect backdrop for two people who have competed their entire lives only to realize that maybe there's more to their relationship...

I thought this book was funny and sweet and I loved the banter- It definitely took me back to my college days! I loved the quirky characters - they were witty and full of YA drama and shenanigans.

These characters are young and make mistakes and are trying to figure out who they want to be. We see some good character growth as Sadie questions her abilities - we see her navigate feelings of self doubt. She has some decisions to make!

✨What to Expect:
💖Romantic Comedy
💜YA Romance
❤️‍🔥Rivals to Lovers
🔥Slow Burn
🏫College Setting
🤣Banter
💙Coming of Age
🚫No Spice (Kissing Only)
🥞Pancakes

This was such a good story to start of reading in the beginning of the year! I felt like the story and the experience of first starting of college and entering the world was represented with so many good topics, such as competition, learning the ropes of college and what it can do childhood friends and how to really navigate those relationships. I also think that the topic of missing the familiarity was so important. I think that these topics really cover a big deal in the story in connection to the romance and why certain actions were done.

Overall, I loved the diving into those topics that really bring back flashback to what college life is like and entering adulthood. I think Emma Lord did an amazing job at laying out this sweet story!