The Rival was my first 5 star read of the year, and I am so happy about it. While reading I was grinning and swinging my feet around, it was sooo good.

I loved the connections within the book. Between family, friends, Seb, new friends at school, and herself, Sadie’s connections evolved and grew which was so nice to see. It also made me reminisce on going away to school at first, how I felt, my connections with my family and the people around me.

I say this every book but I just love Emma Lord!! Her books are quirky, happy, contain special little treats, and lovable characters. Sadie and Seb had the perfect amount of “frenemie” energy and chemistry. Childhood rivals heat up when they decide to be a bit nicer to each other in college. Can they be competitive without being cutthroat? Will their feelings for each other take over? You'll have to find out!

I will continue to read everything Emma writes as her books bring me joy!

I just loved this book! Long-time family friends, birthday buddies, growing up together, and just being a pain in the butt to each other. They are both competitive, and always upping one another; but, they are always there for each other. After graduation, Sadie is off to one college, and Seb off to another. Well, so Sadie thought, until she sees Seb on campus, and both vying for a spot on the campus newspaper, Newsbag. Loved the book from beginning to end! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, Netgalley, and Ms. Lord, for the advanced reader copy! All opinions are my own. Will be getting a copy of this one for our classroom library.

This was a cute story that was pretty upbeat most of the time while dealing with some stressed out college students and their coming of age story.

Sadie and Seb grew up together, their parents are best friends. They went from friends to rivals. They competed all through school. Sadie went to her dream college and is ready to go for her ultimate dream of working on the school zine. But Seb shows up at the school too and also wants the spot on Newsbag. Only one of them can get the spot so the rivalry is on and it is elevated.

While competing for the spot, they help uncover something sketchy going on at the school and their new mission becomes making everyone aware of the problem and getting it fixed. If they don’t fix the problem then Newsbag is likely to crumble.

There were lots of interesting things going on. There was the fun stuff with the two finding a pancake place and going to parties and having fun. But there were also stories about growing up and finding yourself. Sadie has never really been herself around her family and finally opening up in college. And of course all of this causes them to explore their feelings for each other too.

My only little pet peeve is that I found it really hard to believe that Sadie’s biggest dream was writing comedy and that she actually kept secret from her family how funny she is. She has her reason and I actually really relate to her reason, I relate to being the family peacekeeper. If this 18 year old can figure out how to be less of a people please maybe she can tell me lol

Seriously though, a very sweet, enjoyable story. Please for the love of God and all that’s holy, have some pancakes while reading this book! The author even says in her dedication to have a little treat while reading and she sure made me cry pancakes!

Emma Lord’s books never disappoint. I have her next two books all queued up and ready to go.

I got to read an early ebook copy of this book. Thank you NetGalley!

Emma Lord has done it again in this read perfect for present and future fans. I could live in her romances forever!

The Rival by Emma Lord in quick, rapid fire thoughts.

-this dedication is on point! (Obviously I need a snack now!)
-eeekkk! Love when there's a backstory for our characters
-wish I had attended this fun college
-a fresh start and new attitude give us a heroine to root for!
-rivals to lovers vibes with a hint of jealousy
-a diverse group is in Sadie's life - we love to see it!
-multiple college experiences portrayed means everyone can relate
-found family representation both at school and at home
-Sadie's character arc!!! (Also, Sadie's parents get gold stars!)
-loved the message and theme so much it hurts
-ummm... also pancakes!

I'm not sure if I should really say this or not... but the voice Jesse Vilinsky used when narrating Seb's voice was so swoon worthy! Vilinsky perfectly captured the emotions Sadie was experiencing, summing up her character wonderfully! I absolutely loved the monotone voice used for Rowan; it was phenomenal!

All in all, this is exactly what I've now come to expect and love from Lord's writing: fun plot and lovable characters! Can't wait for her next book!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio and Macmillan Young Listeners for the complimentary copies to read and review.

Thank you St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC of The Rival.

It absolutely pains me to say that I didn't like this book. The premise sounded so cute - academic rivals to lovers, in the same vein as Divine Rivals, but set it at a college? SIGN ME UP. Except...rivals where? Our main characters kept saying they hated each other...is the hate in the room with us? At MOST, they were competitive friends.

This book starts off on the right foot. We meet Sadie on her first day of college on her way to a club meeting for the school zine. Writing for the zine has been, quite literally, her dream her entire life, and no one - not even her high school academic "rival" (who by the way was waitlisted and is going to a completely different school) - was going to get in her way. Except of course Seb, her "rival" actually got in and wants the coveted zine editor position as well.

Maybe I would've believed more in the story if either of our main characters felt real to me. As our main pov character, Sadie never felt like she had any real depth to her, and no amount of the author telling us how cool and funny and engaging Seb was could actually make me believe it. When he wasn't actively engaged in the story, I forgot about him. And when he was on page, I found him bothersome and wished he would just leave Sadie alone.

ALl in all, this rivals to lovers book just wasn't for me. 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars.

I liked this. but feel it was definitely geared toward a less mature audience. The main the character was a bit..much. This was probably my least favorite Emma Lord book.

This is my favorite of Lord’s YA books! The dynamic between Sadie and Seb was fantastic. I loved the competition between them, as well as the story line about the school’s funding struggles.

Rating: 4/5
I received the eARC for my honest opinion.

This was a really cute YA romcom, you will find enemies to lovers/friends to lovers, opposites attract. I found the plot to have been written well, the pace of the book was steady, and I didn’t see it really lagging a lot in the book. The book is character driven, and I loved getting to know the characters more throughout the book and watching their growth.

The story starts off with Sadie at Maple Ridge College, she is rushing to the first Newsbag meeting, but she collides with someone and the smoothie from the other person spills all over her dress and ruins it. When she looks to see who she ran into it's no other than Seb Adams, Her biggest high school rival. He is also the same guy who for years was a big part of her life because their families are close friends and of course do everything together. She soon finds out that he is on the Newsbag staff too and he is competing for the same staff writer position and over her dead body he will win.

As I said earlier, I really liked this plot, and I loved that they were opposites that finally understood that it works better for them that way. They also help each other with understanding their own feelings about being an adult, how to really become your own person, how to navigate life, and learning how to forgive each other for past mistakes or miscommunications that occurred over the years. I found the characters to have been well developed, and I liked the fact that the readers will see their development throughout the book. I also really liked the sweet moments, the banter between the characters, the school drama and the uncovering of corruption in their school system. I loved getting to see Sadie and Seb try to fight their attraction for each other and discover if they can be more than what they’re now.

I also received the audio of this book and found Emma Lord did a fantastic job with this book. I loved that I was able to picture what the characters were doing.

Overall, this book was a cute, fast-paced book with cute tropes.

I want to thank NetGalley, St. Martin Press and Macmillan for the opportunity to review this book.

I had a nice time reading this book! I love a college romance, especially one that captures the anxiety, and glee, and everything in-between of moving from familiarity to a new place and kinda changing the way you exist.

Sadie was a great character for this book! She was a girl who felt the need to always be a peacemaker with her family and outwardly pretty put together. She had an interesting character development as the book and her relationship with Seb progressed. Lord did a great job of showing all the crazy nuisances of Sadie's college circumstances mixed with her family life that she left behind. And of course, the boy she thought she left behind but followed her instead.

Seb was not what I expected. I thought he'd dish back Sadie's snark and annoyance, but often times, he was kind and teasing. He accepted every aspect of Sadie, even when she didn't fully understand who she was. He was so cute as he ate sprinkle pancakes with her, and roped her into crazy campus shenanigans. The "it's always been you" vibes were strong with this one!

Another great thing about this book was the fun plot! I loved the entertaining side of this with all the club activities Sadie and Seb were attending. But also, the more serious side of showing what was wrong with their college administration and finances. It was a balance of humor and heart.

Overall, I enjoyed this one! I think it's another great addition to Lord's college romance collection, and I look forward to reading more.

Such a cute romance. It was everything I wanted. Sizzling chemistry and fun prose. I loved the characters. This is my second book from this author and Its cementing my belief that she's a must read author for me.

Emma Lord's The Rival is a fun and charming YA rom-com about two high school rivals who discover their competitive spirit might be something more. The witty banter and genuine chemistry between the main characters make their story engaging and entertaining. While the plot is fairly predictable, Lord's fresh voice and relatable characters make The Rival a sweet and enjoyable read for fans of the genre.

I will admit I’m no longer the target demographic for YA, but reading YA was so fundamental to my formative years and how my taste in books grew that I’ll never completely give them up. And Emma Lord is so good at what she does.

I’m not sure I’ve read a book that so accurately captured the uncertainty of starting college. The way you get swept up in all the new things and feel invincible. And the shock when you realize no one actually is. It was wonderful for that reason alone.

But Sadie and Seb. They both need to break out of their shells in different ways and I was so proud of both them when they figured out how. Their romance feels inevitable and sweet and like a natural progression of their rivalry. Which was funny and not so over the top that I couldn’t imagine them falling for each other.

I want to be so critical of the characters in this book, but as I was listening I did a little reflecting and thought back to how I was at 18 and everything tracks. 😂

Your first year in college, the change feels so dramatic and everything is elevated.

A dramatic, angsty, cute little YA read.

This is Emma Lord’s best since Tweet Cute. Sadie’s story might seem like a typical coming-of-age story, but it is so much more than that. Whether you’ve gone to college or are living vicariously through a sibling or friend, the characters and story are so topical. Mental health, identity, academic and social pressure, along with trying to navigate life on your own terms. This book has it all!

*rounded up to 4.5/5 stars*

I’m so pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this! It truly had everything I love: academic setting, frienemies to lovers, childhood best friends, writing competitions, and random food. This felt so much more than a slow burn (emphasis on slow here) YA romance; it had so much depth with how to individuate from your family when you start college and figuring out who you really want to be. The dialogue was so punchy and comedic, and that alone showed how strong of a connection Seb and Sadie shared. I loved the energy that bounced off this book every time I picked it up to feel transported onto a college campus and back in time to my freshman year. I think this is a cute, wholesome story for any age that anyone could love!

Sadie and Sebastian have known each other since birth. They were friends and playmates, until they became rivals somewhere along the way. Finally, Sadie is at Maple Ride University, having secured her high school’s only spot to her dream school, and she doesn’t have to worry about Seb anymore. She’s ready to chase her dream of writing for Maple Ride’s highly respected zine, Newsbag, and work toward a career of being a comedy writer.

Unfortunately, Seb manages to secure a spot to Maple Ride last-minute from the waitlist, and they’re back to being rivals. Worst of all, he’s going to compete with her for the one (of course, just one) position open at Newsbag.

What’s possibly even worse is that as they are thrown together at this new place, Sadie starts getting flashes of attraction and even feelings for Seb. It’s confusing enough navigating college and learning new things about herself away from her chaotic, intense family without that too.

When they find out that Maple Ride’s club system is facing unfair funding and other issues from the college administration, they have to band together to fight it. As they do so, they find that spending time together is different now. It may be that they can figure out how to be friends instead of rivals intent on crushing each other. And perhaps more.

The Rival is probably my favorite Emma Lord young adult book since Tweet Cute. I suppose that’s in part due to the journalism angle (I’m a journalist). Tweet Cute also had rivalry going on, between families. Here, however, Sadie’s and Seb’s families are best friends. We get just enough demonstration about the families’ relationship and each family’s dynamics to set the stage for Sadie’s and Seb’s soul-searching but not enough to really get to know them and have fun with them. We do, however, get plenty of time to see Sadie and Seb grow individually and together. It’s at turns fun, sweet, and cute.

I feel like I am usually honest in my ratings of books and now I feel like I am going to be more honest in my actual writing of the review. I always try to be nice. And I am going to be nice. I am not going to be mean. But I have yet to really love a book by Emma Lord. I think the books are good. They are ok. They are not great. So this might be the last one I read. I know the kids in my school will enjoy it and devour it, but it might just not be for me. It is a cute YA book for teens, but for me, my YA books need more meat.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for a gifted copy!

I find Emma Lord's writing delightful and charming and her newest YA book is no exception. Sometimes I think that I have grown out of YA books but Lord's books never fail to put me right back in that time of my life when I was even more confused but had all the possibilities in the world at my feet. There aren't, in my opinion, enough books out there about how confusing college is. How you have all the freedom in the world but are also away from everything and everyone that brought you comfort. Lord really captures what it feels to be on your own for the first time and all the scary yet wonderful things that entails.

While sometimes veering a bit too cutsey, this is mostly a very charming and satisfactory love story that's also a coming of age story for the main character, Sadie. Sadie is determined to make the university zine and break the mold of "responsible Sadie" that she has to be at home. The only thing in her way is her main rival that follows her from home to college, Seb. This is such a cute book and the romance between Sadie and Seb is delightful and very sweet. I really enjoyed this YA book and wish I had it when I was starting college!

Thank you so much to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.