One of the better books written by Emma Lord. I absolutely adore the academic rivals to lovers trope and this exceeded all my expectations. It was fun and wholesome — I absolutely adored the main couple and am looking forward to reading more of Lord's books in the future.

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Rival
Author: Emma Lord
YA Romcom

Thank you so much Netgalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC! In true Emma Lord fashion, this was a sweet YA romance read. Sadie and her lifelong rival end up in college competing for a spot on the Zine. It was fast paced, and a feel good read. The hatred for Seb turning into something else was super fun to read. I love a good competition and especially in my books. The college setting was fun and took me back to my college days. I enjoyed reading about them trying to become journalists. There was also a side plot regarding the schools corrupt system, and exposing it. Overall it was a good read and I’d pick it up if you like light hearted, more geared towards YA romance reads. Thank you for the ARC again. 💕

DNF 😭

I wanted to be SO obsessed with this because I have loved Emma Lord’s past two books but I just couldn’t get into this one for some reason. 😞 Usually I get attached to her characters so fast but it just wasn’t happening in this one.

However, I think my lack of investment had less to do with the writing and more to do with the fact that I’m just hitting that age where it takes a lot to get me invested in YA stories. I will 10000000% still be reading Emma Lord’s next adult book and it will probably have a chokehold on me.

Very appreciative of the ARC and may come back around to this one eventually! Just wasn’t happening for me right now.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 rounded up because it was easy to start and get into...

Definitely a fan of Emma Lord, but this was not my favorite title of hers. It felt very repetitive with all the feels. Like that annoying friend who won't stop talking about a guy and going in circles about whether or not she likes him. The relationship between the two leads just didn't add up for me and I started to lose interest about half way through.

Definitely a fan of Emma Lord, but this was not my favorite title of hers. It felt very repetitive with all the feels. Like that annoying friend who won't stop talking about a guy and going in circles about whether or not she likes him. The relationship between the two leads just didn't add up for me and I started to lose interest about half way through.

What I love about Emma Lord‘s books, is that you can always count on them- I’ve never picked one up and not enjoyed it! The Rivals is no exception- it follows college students Sadie and Seb, lifelong rivals, as they compete for the same spot on there college zine. Eventually, they must team up to take on bigger issues at their college and confront their feelings for each other.
I appreciated the character development, humorous moments, and “warm fuzzies” provided by this book. As someone who works with college students, I also appreciated the light shined on the pressure faced by students. Overall, highly recommended!

Emma Lord delivers another cute YA romcom!! This one is a love story that is set in college where the two main characters compete for a writing position for the school newspaper while also uncovering corruption within their school.

I really really enjoyed this book. I loved the romantic plot and the subplot of uncovering the schools corruption/vying for the writing position. I loved reading about Seb and Sadie and their history together and then watching their relationship evolve. This book was just an adorable little read for me!!

Awww. This was a very sweet and also very smart read and I dug it! It warmed my heart and it also made me think again about doing some writing myself. I like a book that makes me think and makes me clutch my heart at the same time. This one did that. 💜📚

This was a fun and funny story. Sadie and Sebastian (Seb) have been competing against each other for years. Their families are neighbors and good friends and regularly get together, so they have known each other since they were babies. At first, it was harmless pranks, but a prank gone wrong that left Sadie publicly embarrassed changed them from friends to frenemies. The competition became fiercer in high school due to their mutual interest in journalism. Although they will actively try to sabotage each other at times, the competition is not mean-spirited. They both want to win but they do so in a manner which pushes each other to do better.

Sadie thought she was finally free of Seb in college, as she got into Maple Ride and he did not. This is her chance to claim a coveted spot on Newsbag, the college zine, and make a name for herself in comedic writing. It is also a chance for the "real" Sadie to bloom, as she has felt pressured growing up to be the "responsible" and "serious" one in her wacky family, the one who can calm the family down and settle conflicts.

However, her plans are up ended when Seb shows up at Maple Ride (having gotten off the waitlist) and is competing for the same coveted spot on Newsbag. Making things more difficult is that Newsbag's funding is at risk (as well as that of other student organizations). As they compete for the spot, they spend more and more time together, which will change the nature of their relationship. As much as they compete with each other, they know and understand each other better than anyone else. This will prove crucial when they get involved in efforts to save the funding of Newsbag and other student organizations, as well as improving conditions for student-athletes, and their efforts are met with fierce opposition by the school administration.

The rivalry between Sadie and Seb is entertaining, especially their banter. However, there are also lots of other amusing aspects of the story, including some of the college clubs, such as The Random Acts of Chaos Club (with its alphabet parties) and the Jelly Bean Appreciation Society (if they offer you a jellybean, say "No!"), and the local pancake shop, Pancake It or Leave It, with its sassy owner, Betty.

4.5⭐s!

This was an adorably fun YA book that was all ✨good vibes✨

Emma Lord writes such great YA romcoms and this one might be her flirtiest one yet.

This has such a cute concept: freshmen—former high school rivals— vying for the same coveted role on the famous school zine. I loved the rivals to lovers trope, which was even more fun in this case because these two have been life-long friends (literally)-turned-rivals. Their families being very close definitely added an interesting layer to the story.

I for sure recommend this super cute book. Thank you for the ARC!

While I didn't find anything particularly captivating in the story itself, the dialogue is crisp as autumn but, somehow, without diverting into pretentiousness.

Emma Lord’s The Rival is a fun, heartfelt dive into college journalism, full of classic tropes that bring the story to life! Following a driven protagonist who finds herself competing against her annoyingly charming rival, this book gives us a delightful mix of enemies/rivals-to-lovers, forced proximity, and slow-burn romance. The competitive energy on the college zine adds a unique twist, keeping the tension high and the banter even sharper.

The chemistry between the leads strikes a perfect balance between rivalry and vulnerability, making their journey from adversaries to something more genuine and satisfying; great relatable themes of ambition, friendship, and self-discovery. Perfect for fans of campus love stories with a touch of romance and all the tropey goodness!

This was such a cute YA book. I loved the setting of freshmen at uni and I thought the banter between them was so good! It was a laugh out loud kind of book for me, I have so many funny lines highlighted on my kindle.

Sadie and Seb are the endgame that everyone (especially their parents) always hopes for but they surely don't!
These two push each others buttons in all the right ways to make each other crazy---maybe even crazy for each other!
Sadie has always felt that Seb is out to steal her glory, so she does everything in her power to be sure that she can one up him. Having secured the one spot at the college of her dreams alongside her best friend, Sadie is ready for the rest of her life post-high school to begin. That is until she literally runs into Seb. Thus begins the typical will they--won't they that we all expect and love from Emma Lord.

When will I learn that an Emma Lord book requires treats and snacks?
Life is looking up for Sadie. She's shed her high school self and conflicts and is ready to take college on. Except she's running late on her first day of trying out for the infamous school zine and runs into the last person on earth she expected or wanted to show up on campus, her neighbor/nemesis/family friend, Seb. And worst of all? She has to compete with him. AGAIN.
This coming of age story and romance is exactly what I would expect out of Emma's pen. There is fantastic banter and a couple of MCs that you want to root for in all the ways. I really liked how Emma played with the families of Sadie and Seb, how distinctly different they showed their love and support but that it was there either way. Sadie is such a ball of hopes and dreams. The friendship between Cristina and Sadie shines so brightly and feels relatable in that growing up with and next to each other sort of way.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

I really wanted to love The Rival by Emma Lord. The framework was there but a lot fell through the cracks for me. I didn't understand the level of hatred between the two main characters, which really only seemed to be one-sided and unjustified. The big problem didn't seem to be that big of a problem, and I didn't feel the chemistry between the main characters. Mostly a miss for me - I did enjoy the glimpses of side characters, like the best friend and siblings and wish we had seen more of the wacky family antics.

Rivals to lovers story. Sadie thinks she has finally escaped her lifelong rival and next door neighbor Seb. He was waited listed at the college she is attending when she runs into him in the way to the first meeting of Newsboy. Newsboy is the zine Sadie has wanted to write for since high school. It’s her dream but once again she finds she will be competing with Seb foe the coveted spot. This books follows her trials and tribulations of being away from home for the first time, managing family dynamics and competing for a position at her dream zine all while discovering that she has strong feelings for her rival. Once again Emma Lord has written a funny, smart love story. It’s a really cute book that captures what it’s like to be a first time college student. I definitely recommend this cook for fans of Emma and for YA rom com lovers.

Thanks to NetGalley and st Martens press for allowing me to read this cute YA rom com in digital format prior to its release in exchange for honest review.

Emma Lord DOES NOT disappoint! I love her books. I think that college aged characters are my favorites from hers. I really liked The Rival, more than her last book.

3.5/5
Such an adorable romcom with the classic cliches and lovable characters! I love Emma Lord’s storytelling and how she develops her characters. The plot was fun and, though predictable, I had such a fun time reading this! Tweet Cute is still my favorite but this is also a pretty close second to me. Sadie and Seb were so good together and I loved that epilogue so much. There were a few things that felt rushed but I liked how the book touched on student life and the common struggles faced by college students as they’re adjusting to new environments!

This sadly felt very young and I had a hard time connecting with Sadie. I didn’t feel chemistry between her and Seb (awful nickname, for what it’s worth) and the family subplot was annoying (why was the younger sister so upset??). Overall, I didn’t feel the charm of Lord’s earlier books.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a YA modern romance. I loved Sadie and Seb and was cheering for them and the slow burn romance. I didn't like the cursing and all the f bombs. Emma Lords books haven't always been filled with bad language.