Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the
E-ARC! Another amazing book by this author!! Loved both main characters & the banter so much. Excited to see what's next!!

I’m noticing more and more books lately with a college setting, and I’m loving that! I guess they’re more new adult instead of young adult, but I’ve felt for a while that authors of ya books were really missing out on that part of the market. Ever since I read Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl, I’ve looked for other books similar to it, so I was happy to see The Rival on NetGalley. I’ve liked other books by Emma Lord, so I considered this a win/win.

The things I enjoyed most about this novel were its humor and its honesty. The banter between Sadie and Seb made me smile frequently, as did some of the minor characters personalities, too. The owner of the pancake shop had such a sarcastic, dry sense of humor, especially. It was an honest look at the struggles most college freshman feel, also, as they look for a place they belong, as well as people they belong with, Sadie comes in with a lot of confidence at the start, but as you see more and more of her personality and learn about her insecurities, it makes you appreciate her depth of character. The same can be said of Seb, too. It’s a little predictable at times, but sometimes that’s okay when you want a easy on the emotions novel.

This sweet romance is a fun, quick romance, and I enjoyed the opportunity to read it. Thank you, NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read this book.

This charming romcom, brimming with classic cliches, is a delightful read. Emma Lord’s storytelling is captivating, and her character development is truly impressive. The plot, though predictable, kept me engaged and entertained throughout. Sadie and Seb’s chemistry was undeniable, and felt authentic for college freshmen.

I appreciated the book’s exploration of student life and the common struggles faced by college students as they navigate new situations and experiences. I’m definitely well out of the target demographic for this book, but I still enjoyed it for the nostalgia.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This might be one of my new favorite books. Seb and Sadie are neighboors, childhood best-friends, and best of all academic rivals. Sadie despises Seb. The two of them are always going head-to-head, competing for the same positions. When one pulls ahead in one thing, the other will achieve the next. Sadie is excited to finally have some space from Seb when she stars college, just to find out that he has gotten off of the waitlist and will e joining her. Now the two of them are competing for the same spot writing for the school's notorious newspaper, and Sadie is furious. College was supposed to be her fresh start, not a repeat of high school. However, when you have known someone for as long as Sadie and Seb have, it is impossible to resist the chemistry for long. Especially when everyone can see it but Sadie.

I love a good enemies-to-loves, and a good childhood best-friends to lovers. The combination of the two tropes? Perfect. Especially when it is done right. From the first chapter I could feel the tension between the two. The tension and the hatred is there, AND so is the chemistry. From the first chapter you can feel the chemistry between Sadie and Seb, while also recognizing that Sadie truly cannot stand Seb. It is such a fun dynamic to watch play out as the book goes on. To make it even better: it is the slowest slow-burn of all time. I appreciated how they did not go from enemies to lovers right away. They spent the time working through the arguments and loathing before they allowed themselves to give in. The other thing that I enjoyed is that while the romance was front and center, there was also a sub-plot that readers can become invested in as well. The sole focus of the book is not the romance, but rather the romance plays out while trying to fix some of the systemic issues that are occurring at their school. I highly enjoyed this book and I think all romance readers will too. This is only the second book of Lord's that I have read, but Lord is slowly creeping up to becoming an auto-buy author for me.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin, Emma Lord, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of The Rival in exchange for my honest review.

[Thank you to Wednesday Books/St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.]

This adorable YA romance follows Sadie, a freshman starting at her dream school, eager to chase her dream of joining the school's newspaper, *Newsbag*. But on day one she collides - literally - with her nemesis/next-door neighbor, Seb... and his smoothie. Sadie thought she had finally escaped him, and her boisterous family, until realizing he was admitted off the waitlist.

From pranks to heated competition for the paper's only open staff spot to Sunday pancakes, Sadie and Seb can't seem to escape each other. As rivalry turns to reluctant friendship, they start dropping their walls and opening up to each other, leading to the possibility of something more.

This coming of age story perfectly encaptures that mix of uncertainty and excitement you experience when you're on your own for the first time. It also covers navigating family pressures and the pressure to embrace new experiences. The characters definitely act their age (having an outward air of thinking you know everything, but still being a little bit selfish and not knowing how to fully communicate with those around you). It's deeply relatable.

There's also a subplot of uncovering campus corruption when it comes to the athletic and club budgets. Sometimes this takes precedence over the romance aspect of the story, but it's fun watching the students try to get their voices heard.

I fear that Emma Lord is a two hit wonder author for me. I absolutely loved her first few books and the rest have fallen flat including THE RIVAL.

Set on a college campus, this rivals to lovers was filled with lots of banter and quirky characters but I found myself skimming through and not connecting nor caring much for any of the relationships.

After only feel okay about Emma Lord's last YA novel, I was excited for her newest one to be back in a college campus setting - and I loved it! I started as a journalist major (and then pivoted to PR), so the plot surrounding trying to make the college's zine and become a writer was everything!

I loved the childhood friends turned fierce competitors aspect of the book - someone who know you so deeply, but you are still pitted against each other time and time again. I also loved being able to explore the college campus through their eyes - and hear about some of the ridiculous student organizations.

There was also a dash of fighting against family expectations and some coming-of-age once finally away from your family - all wrapped up with a romance. It was everything and I absolutely loved it.

And now I need pancakes.

Oh I enjoyed this one. A YA rom com of two enemies to lovers (rivals) set in college. I loved the banter between Sebastian and Sadie - and related to their characters. This one was easy for me to get into, a great palette cleanser between books. Overall - I thought the story was cute and entertaining - and I do always enjoy an academic setting. Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is more frenemies to lovers since they have been friends since they were babies and then frenemies since they were like in elementary school where everything got more enemy than friend at least at school since with family they have a super friends front. So Sadie thought she was rid of Sebastian when she got into College since he got waitlisted but alas it wasn’t to be since he is not competing against her for the only writing spot on the school zine that they both would do anything to write for. I love Sadies internal monologue of her evolving feeling for Seb and how she has tapped down her own chaotic personality to be the peace maker in her family since she felt like someone needed to be and she is finally figuring out who she is outside of them. I love how poor Seb is just pining and seems to have been since high school but Sadie is oblivious to how he feels since she herself is still in Seb is the enemy mode. I really enjoyed how Sadie helped start a protest on campus with the jocks and student clubs banding together to figure out where all the funding was going and getting a transparent report on it. It was the best slow burn but they finally get there and boy was it good. I really love Emma Lords novels and this was no exception.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

This is a cute YA academic rivals story. Sadie and Seb grew up together, but now they’re competing for the same spot on the school newspaper. Sadie is frustrated because she’s competed with Seb all through high school and thought she’d get a break in college. I could feel her frustration just oozing off the page. It was so real and I loved it. The banter between Sadie and Seb was great. I chuckled a few times while reading this which is always a nice treat. The chemistry between the two was good, however I think I needed a little something more for it to be believable. It’s not that it was bad, I was just looking for a little more I guess. The characters did feel age appropriate. Some of their decisions made me roll my eyes but, they’re barely adults so it makes sense.

If you’re looking for a fun young adult college romance, then check this one out.

This was just an okay read for me, I didn't truly love it. It started off well but then somewhere around half way it just lost its appeal. It just took a different turn and it felt like that's not what I was looking for from this story. The miscommunication issue they had was a little much for me and it just made me roll my eyes many times. It wasn't for me.

3.5⭐ (Rounded Up To 4)

✨YA College Romance
✨Rivals To Lovers
✨Witty Banter

This a was a cute and cozy read, perfect for readers who enjoy stories filled with plenty of witty banter, friendships and a rivals to lovers, slow burn romance.

The only thing that didn't really work for me is that this story does read pretty young at times, with some of the dialogue I would have thought the characters were still in highschool rather than young adults beginning College.

I think it's definitely worth checking out and would try another book from this author in the future.

Thank you Emma Lord, Net Galley and St. Martin's Press- Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC of this book.

very cute romance with some very fun aspects about handling problems in the systems of college and with some very strong themes. 4 stars. tysm for the arc. loved sadie and seb

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

Another fun and enjoyable YA romance from Emma Lord! This had the fun, banter, and good vibes I’ve come to expect. A few parts of the plot felt juvenile but it’s YA so I’ll allow it

Emma Lord’s newest book, The Rival, is packed with her signature wit, quirky characters, and melt in your mouth, cavity inducing dessert descriptions. I enjoy a rivals to lovers romance, and the addition of the two main characters having grown up as best friends not only added dimension to the couple, but felt extremely believable. Saddie and Seb traversing their new college experience while figuring out who they were was not only fun and relatable, but had a kick of Lord’s signature quirkiness. Betty, delectable pancakes, alphabet parties, and too many clubs to even know where to begin. I did struggle a bit at times with the family relationships between both main characters. At times it felt a little more tell than show. I also was not a fan of Sadie’s best friend, and thought they’re tension was contrived and unnecessary. Overall though this was another hit from Lord, and I will be coming back for more! Until then I will be waiting for my invite to an alphabet party.

4.5 stars. I adored this book. Emma Lord is a must-read author for me, and she never disappoints. Lord does banter extremely well, and it's impossible not to fall in love with Sadie and Sebastian as they battle it out for a spot on Maple Ride's Newsbag. Their antics and the silly college events make for a delightful reading experience.

emma lord is such a solid young adult author and she brings such classic style YA vibes. i love sadie and seb so much it was such a fun coming of age

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press/Wednesday Books for the E-Arc!

This was a cute YA romance set on a college campus! I thought it was cute read, but it definitely took me a while to get into the story. The characters were funny and relatable— there were times where I would be reading in public and I would struggle to not laugh out loud! Overall, I thought it was a cute read!

This enemies-to-friends-to-dating YA story reminded me yet again that Emma Lord writes some of the absolute best young adult books on the market. In this one, our main character (Sadie) is a college freshman at the school of her dreams, getting ready to try out for the school zine she's been following for years, and living in the dorm with her best friend, Christina. She's thrown for a loop when her neighbor/frenemy/soulmate, Seb, suddenly appears at the zine tryout meeting...since he didn't get into the school. Except he did. He got off the wait list and this leads to the two of them competing for the one available spot on the zine staff. There's also family drama, "freshman year at college is hard" drama, and a lot of pancakes in the cutest way possible. And an alphabet party that I now want to try to throw in my 40s.

I feel like a quote from chapter 11 sums it up best: "Keep your friends close and your lifelong academic rivals you've imagined kissing multiple times against your will closer." (This was a review copy so I'm sorry if this line changes slightly in final book!)

Highly recommended to anyone who is getting ready to go to college, who remembers the transition to college fondly and wants to smile, or who hated their transition to college and wants to overwrite it with adorable dialogue.

CW: intense young adult stress, lots of will-they-or-won't-they-or-when-will-they kiss (no adult content)

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. FWIW, I'll be buying this one for my shelves for sure.

Likes:

+ I love a rivals to lovers romance and this offers all the fighting and chemistry between two people who are trying to ignore the attraction between them. I especially love that Sadie and Seb have known one another since they were little! I loved seeing them go from frenemies to lovers.

+ This is a coming of age story as well as a romance. Sadie and Seb both are in their first year of college and though Sadie knows what she wants, she’s not sure what her family would think of her dreams of being a comedic writer. As for Seb, he’s not sure what path is right for himself but though he and Sadie are rivals, they definitely do push one another to be better versions of themselves – usually.

+ I thought the college experience was captured really well in this story – I loved all the antics, campus life, and shenanigans with the clubs. Also, Betty was awesome.

Dislikes:

~ There were times I wished Sadie would let up on the competition with Seb and their little falling out felt a bit overdramatic on Sadie’s part.


Final Thoughts:

I enjoyed this one because I loved the college campus life portrayed in the story. The rivals to lovers romance was full of fighting, banter and chemistry. Overall, I thought it was a fun story!