The Rival by Emma Lord is a sweet YA novel that I enjoyed.

Sadie has landed at her dream college and she is in her first semester. She's excited for this new path and she is looking forward to the fact that the person she has always had an academic competition with, Sebastian, is no longer a factor. Or is he?

Sebastian hadn't originally gotten in, but he's gotten off the waiting list and he's now been admitted to the same college as Sadie. Now that Seb is there, it turns out that both he and Sadie want the same position at the school newspaper. They are about to compete with one another for the position, but will they also be fighting feelings too after spending so much time in close quarters?

I did enjoy this story, but there were times I felt like it was very drawn out and could have moved a little quicker. As I said above, this was a sweet story and it was enjoyable.

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

A rivals to romance story in which two college students, who have been competing against each other for their entire lives, end up competing for a highly sought-after writing spot for the school paper.

It was cute and sweet with kissing only in terms of spice level. For pretty much the whole story you wanted to shout, "just kiss already!" because the two main characters were connected right from the start.

This read very quickly and was a fun little romcom. Thanks to the author and publisher for my review copy via netgalley.

This was such a cute book. I really like Seb and Sadie both as characters and as a couple, and the whole way their relationship evolves from academic rivals to lovers. The pop culture references and modern slang throughout the book kinda took me out of it a little bit, but not in a way that it was so terrible (side note - felt very dystopian to read a book mention tiktok on the last actual day of tiktok in the US).

The Newbag/newspaper part of this story was also super interesting and unique and I enjoyed what it added to everything. The way the first 60ish% played out was really predictable, but the way it ended was not what I expected and definitely kept me interested.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced copy!

I thought this novel was very cute, but somewhat left something to be desired. I thoroughly enjoyed the pranks and hijinks our characters got up too, but felt like the many side characters were underdeveloped. I would've loved more focus on Seb and Sadie's families in a deeper way (especially Sebs), the rest of the Newsbag gang, and Christina! I also was somewhat confused at certain plot points, such as Seb needing to lave the university if he didn't make Newsbag? I wasn't sure if I missed something but some parts of the book just felt confusing to me.

The Rival by Emma Lord
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
329 pages
Publishing January 21st, 2024

Sadie & Seb have been long time academic rivals. Sadie has finally beat Seb- she got the coveted only spot into her dream college & Seb didn’t get in-or so she thinks. As they now both go to the same college, Sadie finds herself competing with Seb for a spot on the school’s writing group. When required to band to together, Seb & Sadie realize they might not dislike each other as much as they thought.

I haven’t read many academic rival books but I loved this one! Emma Lord knows how to write cute, hilarious banter between main characters. I had the opportunity to read an ARC of her book The Breakup Pact last year & I adored it. If you’re looking for a cute, fast paced rivals to lovers book, check this out!

Read if you like:
✨Hilarious banter
✨Rivals to lovers
✨Slow burn

Thank you @dilemmalord @wednesdaybooks & @netgalley for this eARC!

#emmalord #romance #wednesdaybooks #macmillianbooks #rivalstolovers #slowburn #banter

This was such an enjoyable read. I couldn't pin it down at first, but now that I'm done reading I really loved the lady who owned the pancake restaurant. Her humor was on point through the whole story. I also liked the main characters, but pancake lady for the W!

Rivals to friends to ‘lovers’.

I really enjoy Emma Lord’s writing, but this one felt a bit too much like one of her previous books.

I did love the expansion of characters in this book, having multiple queer characters, including a main character! This book did really resonate with the real world and a lot of politics are interfering with quality reporting and misinformation.

I really wanted to like this. Academic friends to rivals to lovers sounds great! However I was so bored while reading this and I could not get into the story. Thank you so much for providing the ARC but unfortunately I did DNF.

I was so excited to read this book. Unfortunately that didn’t last. For this to be a YA book, there was a lot of harsh language throughout. I also wished it would have been listed as LGBTQ+ because if I would have known this, I wouldn’t have requested it. The story idea was cute, and I like a good friend to enemies trope, but this one wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books for my advanced readers copy. This is my honest and voluntary opinion.

Two childhood friends turned rivals in high school days reunite at college. Together, they learn they have much more in common that not. I think I would've enjoyed this story with a duel POV, as I got the impression that Seb has secretly pined for Sadie.

While a college setting, this book read super young and a bit unromantic.

Thank you, Wednesday Books

✍🏻 The Rival ✍🏻

LISTEN. If Emma Lord writes it, I’m going to read AND LOVE it. The Rival is no exception, it might be my new favorite of hers. I absolutely ADORE SEB AND SADIE.

Sadie is so excited to finally be pursuing her dream of becoming a Newsbag writer now that’s she’s a college freshman at Maple Ride. Only to be thwarted when her lifelong rival, Seb, shows up to compete with here. The charming boy next door who has gone toe for toe with her their entire lives, surely she can beat him again?

In their quest for the open writer position, they challenge each other, explore campus together, and fight for improvements from the administration together. Not only do they push each other to be better, they also just get each other. And, well, this is a romcom, surely you know where the will they, won’t they vibes lead?

HIGHLY recommend this adorkable romcom with plenty of:
✍🏻 Rivals to lovers
✍🏻 Coming of age growth
✍🏻 College YA sweet romance
✍🏻 Incredible banter
✍🏻 Goofy college antics
✍🏻 Mouthwatering Pancakes 🥞 and a pancake chef who is a national treasure (BETTY 4EVER!)

Thank you to Wednesday books for this ARC! The Rival is on shelves January 21, 2025! My opinions are my own.

“Us. For the first time, it’s not me against Seb. It’s the two of us against everything else.”
Sadie and Seb have known each other their whole lives, first as best friends and now as rivals. They grew up as next-door neighbors with families who adored each other, but Sadie and Seb’s friendship over the years became an obsessive need to beat each other academically. When Sadie finally defeats Seb by getting the only spot at her dream college, she’s over the moon—until she learns Seb made it off the waitlist. Now, Sadie must compete with him once again for the most important prize yet: a writing spot at the school’s famous zine. Meanwhile, she’s struggling to come to terms with her feelings about her chaotic family and being away from home. As the semester progresses, Sadie starts to feel differently towards Seb, and they work together to uncover the financial flaws in their school’s system, uncovering their true feelings for each other along the way.

The Rival is my favorite Emma Lord book to date. She has the uncanny ability to capture the tumultuous feelings of a new college student trying to grapple with love and life on their own for the first time. Both Sadie and Seb spoke to each other about their struggles, even continuing their families’ tradition of eating pancakes together on Sundays. Because Sadie and Seb had known each other their entire lives, they had such a deep connection that you could really feel while reading their interactions and banter. Even when they were rivals, they had this undeniable spark and cared deeply about each other, which was why I liked their relationship as much as I did. However, my favorite part of the book was the way Lord portrayed Sadie’s relationship with her family. I appreciated how Lord acknowledged the way that everyone can struggle with their family sometimes, even if they have a great one. Oftentimes, the only familial struggles represented in books are related to a lack of support or even abuse, but Sadie’s family took a toll on her even though they were loving and supportive. Sadie missed her family, but she also felt guilty for not missing them as much as she thought she should, and I think that’s something many college students struggle with. The Rival showcased the realities of complex relationships, both familial and romantic, while still maintaining a comedic, light-hearted feel that made it the perfect coming-of-age romcom.

I have had the absolute honor of advance reviewing so many of Emma Lord's books. I love her writing and I am always excited to see one of her books pop up in my inbox!

I am not usually a big fan of YA books, but yet I always enjoy Emma's. The Rival is a bit different as it is set in college so it is a bit YA, and a bit New adult. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Synopsis:
At long last, Sadie has vanquished her lifelong academic rival — her irritatingly charming, whip smart next door neighbor, Seb — by getting the coveted, only spot to her dream college. Or at least, so she thinks. When Seb is unexpectedly pulled off the waitlist and admitted, Sadie has to compete with him all over again, this time to get a spot on the school’s famous zine. Now not only is she dealing with the mayhem of the lovable, chaotic family she hid her writing talents from, as well as her own self doubt, but she has to come to terms with some less-than-resentful feelings for Seb that are popping up along the way. But the longer they compete, the more Sadie and Seb notice flaws in the school’s system that are much bigger than any competition between them. Somehow the two of them have to band together even as they’re trying to crush each other, only to discover they may have met their match in more ways than one.

Likes:
-This story was cute and funny. There was a lot of banter and funny comments throughout that actually made me laugh quite a bit!
-This book seems to be aimed mostly at college freshmen as it tackles leaving home/family for the first time, which I thought was done really well. I thought that scene where Sadie goes out in search of pancakes on her first 'pancake day' away from home was such a sweet moment.

Dislikes:
-The rivalry was really one sided and at times it jus seemed a little odd.
-This book also made me either feel really old, or questioning if the characters were old enough for college. There was just some dialogue and wording that made me cringe a bit.

Overall, this book was sweet and funny. It was a great and quick read that I think is coming out just in time to be on your Valentine's Day TBR!

Pre-order your copy of The Rival now! Releases Jan 21, 2025!

2.75 ⭐️

This was….. fine.

This felt a LOT longer than it was, and was kind of boring and incredibly repetitive. And it had REALLY long chapters.

Emma is a fantastic writer and I loved the writing style, but the plot for this one just didn’t land for me. It felt like the characters were one-dimensional and I couldn’t really relate or connect to any of them. I also understand that I am probably not the target audience for this book age-wise, but for someone who DOES enjoy YA books it was a disappointment on most fronts.

Sadie, the MFC, kind of drove me nuts. I think having dual POV’s from both Sadie and Seb (MMC) would have helped this book tremendously, if not to just get away from Sadie’s inner monologue for a little bit. I really wanted to enjoy her coming of age more than I did.

And for being rivals to lovers…. It wasn’t very rival-ry or lover-y. :( I was left wanting more from it, because it fell SO flat.

Overall, this was kind of a bust for me, which is disappointing because I thoroughly enjoyed “The Getaway List” by her. But, there were some parts that I did enjoy simply because the writing was exceptional (and I was also once an awkward, homesick freshman in college).

And finally - thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

The Rival is a cute YA romcom about two childhood friends turned rivals through high school. In college Sadie thought she finally got free from Sebastian, but he turns up again, spurring a competition for one spot on the Newsbag magazine. Soon she realizes that maybe she missed it, and maybe she does want him to be around.

You can expect -
YA RomCom
College Freshman
Childhood Friends
Rivals to Lovers
Coming of Age
Discovering Yourself
Finding Balance
Friendly Competition
Bonding over Food
College Clubs
Single, 1stP POV

It is a great coming of age story, discussing the conflict that newly moved out young adults feel - trying to discover themselves separate from their family, missing their family, finding new friends in college, keeping up old friendships, pressure to explore sexuality when all are on different levels. All this while fighting for fair treatment of all students.

I enjoyed the rivalry-to-lovers tension through the book, with Sadie fighting those feelings. There was a lot of emotional swings, which is pretty standard for this age, but it was handled well. I sometimes have a hard time with YA romances being too cringy, but didn’t feel that at all here.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this cute sort of rivals to more story! I certainly didn't have this much fun in college but this was just a fun romp of a story that I read in just a few days. The characters, as always are relatable and well written - the story was engaging and Lord just has a way of writing that pulls you into the story.

Thank you for letting me read this one early!

Imagine you go off to college to make a name for yourself just to be surprised with your arch nemesis also showing up during the first week.
Sadie and Seb have been in each other’s orbits their whole life long. Their parents are close friends and they have been at the same school since the beginning. Both of them had made it their mission to one-up another during their school careers and Sadie thought now that she is at Maple Ridge, she can just be herself without the rivalry with Seb. Lo and behold, during the first newsbag meeting, the campus zine Sadie has been wanting to write for forever, Seb is also there and they find themselves once again competing against each other for the one available staff member spot for newsbag.

I have a soft spot for YA novels, especially if they are as sweet as pancakes. The story was a bit drawn out at times and had a bit too much miscommunication for my liking, but it was sweet nonetheless. I can always count on Emma Lord to bring the pop culture references and puns. This is just one of the reasons why I love her writing.

Short and Sweet Review

It’s Sadie’s first semester of college at dream college and she’s excited especially because she thinks she’s left her academic rival Sebastian in the past. The only thing is Sebastian ended up getting off of the waiting list so Sadie and Seb are back at being rivals and they both want the spot on the school newspaper. Not only do these two have to compete but they also have to fight off the feelings they have for each other or maybe not.

The Rival is a cute contemporary romance that follows the competitiveness of our main character Sadie and her rival Seb. It’s very much an enemies to lovers story. Sadie and Seb have known each other since they were kids and we get to see a lot of reminiscing about the past and how they’ve gone up against each other and what takes place in college is no different. Maple Ridge has a pretty popular newspaper called the Newsbag and both Sadie and Seb want the staff reporter position and now they have three assignments to complete to see who wins the spot. I liked the book as I found it to be entertaining but I wouldn’t say that the plot was something big it was mainly a background thing as the romance takes center stage and we spend a majority of the time hearing about the newspaper but also see Sadie and Seb spend time together. Sadie was a good character, she was determined but also a very level headed person. I thought the romance was cute, Sadie and Seb have known each other for a while and I think they’re finally in a place to explore more than a rivalry but an actual romance and figure out their feelings.

Overall, this was a light and enjoyable read. I did like the college atmosphere and the journalism aspect. If you’re in the mood for a quick enemies to lovers romance check this book out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this eARC! The Rival by Emma Lord is out Tuesday, Jan. 21.

“I don’t think I could explain what Seb and I are to each other in any singular word, but friends certainly isn’t it. Whatever we are, it goes so deep that the word feels too flimsy for it. Like there should be a new word, something as crackling and maddening and inevitable as we are.”

I was utterly charmed by this YA romcom from Emma Lord! I thought it would be up my alley when I read the description on NetGalley, but I didn’t expect to fall as deeply in love as I did. The Rival ended up being one of my favorite reads of 2024.

The Rival is a joyous, touching and chaotic-ly funny story – part coming-of-age and part romance. The book follows Sadie and Sebastian, rivals from thick-as-thieves families who end up attending the same university. Once there, they continue their competitive relationship, going head-to-head for a single spot on a prominent campus zine – think The Catullan in The Sex Lives of College Girls. But while vying for the spot, and fighting to preserve student org funding on campus, the duo’s complex rivalry morphs into something new.

I was rooting so hard for Seb and Sadie throughout The Rival, and was so charmed seeing the development of their relationship. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for that first kiss! Sadie in some ways is a classic middle child – she tries to be predictable and low maintenance in her family, working to keep the peace even to her own detriment. She’s actually sassy and sarcastic, creative, smart and a problem solver. She knows how to bring people together, and she’s bolder than she’s let herself realize. Seb is charming but introspective, with an anxiety under the surface of his bright persona. He’s navigating pursuing his dreams and balancing family pressure about what his future should look like. He’s smart, considerate, has integrity and is a good friend.

I really liked how Lord set up their backstory. Their history added significant depth to their relationship; we get to learn about the breakdown of their childhood friendship, experience their care for one another despite the rivalry and see how they offer each other perspective on their lives/family relationships, especially in the case of Seb giving Sadie an outside view on her family.

Speaking of family, Sadie’s navigation of her changing relationship with her family is the other main throughline of the story outside the zine storyline. Sadie’s family is passionate, loud and unabashed, and Sadie alternately loves them and is embarrassed by their lack of inhibition. So much so, that she’s kept her own passion for comedy and comedy writing secret from them as she tries to make herself calm, cool and palatable. Getting distance while at school helps her begin to confront these feelings and chart a new path forward. We get to see changes in Sadie’s relationship with her parents and her younger and older sisters throughout the story.

I felt that Lord captured the conflicting feelings of early college life well: homesickness mingled with joy that you’re away, and gratitude for the freedom to explore new parts of yourself mixed with guilt that you feel grateful to be gone.

The Rival is a classic happily ever after story, with a clear focus on the characters. Everything is going to work out in the end and we see pretty minimal details of their lives at school beyond what’s tied up in the plot – no going to class or having to deal with RAs or handle studying for midterms, etc. but that’s OK! The story has a clear main focus and that’s the competition for the zine spot propelling Seb and Sadie’s relationship forward.

The story is told from Sadie’s POV, which is my only real complaint – I would’ve loved to have Seb’s POV included too!

Here are a couple snippets that I particularly liked:

“He smells the way he always does – a salty, honey sweetness. Equal parts nostalgia, irritation, and something loud and warm in me that doesn’t quite deserve any kind of name.”

“The ache I felt earlier wasn’t just mine. It feels strangely like it led me here – not to this place, but to someone who felt the same kind of lost I do. The weird limbo of not quite knowing where you’re headed but knowing it’s too early to look back.”

“Whatever is happening right now doesn’t feel like our usual game of chicken. Now the challenge isn’t how close we can get before one of us pulls away. The challenge is seeing just how close we can get before one of us crosses the distance.”

“I don’t think I could explain what Seb and I are to each other in any singular word, but friends certainly isn’t it. Whatever we are, it goes so deep that the word feels too flimsy for it. Like there should be a new word, something as crackling and maddening and inevitable as we are.”

“I’ve spent my whole life alternately embarrassed about my family, or embarrassed to be embarrassed about them. Trying to reconcile the way I love them just the way they are with the way I’m scared that the rest of the world won’t. How people might misunderstand them – Hadley’s sensitivity, Marley’s impulsiveness, my parents’ passion – and how they might treat them for it. But then there’s Seb, who has always loved them just as they are. Seb, who is quietly taking care of them, too.”

"It’s rare we’ve ever had a reason to hug, but those moments stick out enough in my mind that I’m already anticipating the way he shifts his arms up slightly, the way he scratches lightly at the base of my neck."

This was so effing adorable and funny!

"Keep your friends close and your lifelong academic rivals you’ve imagined kissing multiple times against your will closer. It’s all just a part of our years-long game."

4.75 stars

I actually went into this with like negative expectations. I didn’t like Tweet Cute but I liked the synopsis on this one and I’m auto-approved, so I grabbed it. OHMYGOOOOD I was shook. This was so good!

“If you say one more word, Seb, I swear on all that is holy, I will bury you. I will pretend to look for you. I’ll shed pretty tears at your funeral and die in bed eighty years from now peacefully and without regret.”

We have childhood friends to rivals in high school and now university, competing for the same prestigious job at the school’s newspaper. I love a good rivals competition.

"Unfortunately, somewhere in the last thirty seconds I got emotionally invested against my will, and if I don’t walk out with a jar of pickles in my hand and a crown on one of these boys’ heads I will simply not be able to live."

The banter. The whit. The funny comments. Everything was just great! I loved both MCs and it had good reps in here as well (bi MMC, lesbian and non-binary side characters). It also had some good family dynamics and emotional parts, so a well-rounded rom-com lmao

“If you say one more word, Seb, I swear on all that is holy, I will bury you. I will pretend to look for you. I’ll shed pretty tears at your funeral and die in bed eighty years from now peacefully and without regret.”

But what really stood out was the fact that this was so funny! I know I mentioned the banter and funny comments but this type of back-and-forth is something I love in books and it’s not always done organically, it can be cringe, but this was *chefs kiss*

“So where are you headed?” Seb asks.
Maybe if I just keep walking he’ll disappear. He’s just a panic mirage, is all. The ghost of academic rivals past. “Apparently hell, if you’re here.”

It loses .25 stars because I wish the rivalry lasted much longer than it did.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, Netgalley, and the author for an ARC!

"I’m starting to feel like Sisyphus. Except instead of lugging a boulder up a hill I’ve been trying to shove Seb off a cliff."