Emma Lord's books are usually some of the best books of the year but The Rival didn't have the charm of her previous books. I never cared about Sadie and, at times, I found myself rooting for Seb. Also, the story felt uneven with the ending not quite fitting. I will keep reading anything Lord releases but I was disappointed by this one. Plus, the audiobook was difficult as I found the audiobook reader offputting and sometimes shrill.

Another great YA from Emma Lord! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved the tension between the two main characters, an enemies to lovers trope that Lord does well. It also does a really fine job of portraying the highs and lows of the first year of college. I thought the narrator was great for the audio. Highly enjoyable listen!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

Story: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Narration: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Another adorable romance by Emma Lord with fantastic narration by Jesse Vilinsky. Set in college, this book about longtime rivals following for one another is so sweet and hilarious. I highly recommend it.

ALC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a decently cute YA novel about finding yourself during the transition from high school to college, and trying to maintain relationships along the way. The synopsis and even title might be a bit misleading, because the two main characters, Sadie and Seb, don’t actually seem to be rivals, just overly competitive high-achieving teens that are clearly in love with each other but try to pretend not to be. There were moments with them that were adorable, and other times when Sadie really got on my nerves and I questioned whether or not Seb would be better off moving on with his poor little heart. Thankfully, there is growth though. There were a lot of great side characters and plot points that moved the story along, but definitely some random unnecessary characteristics added that did nothing to change the story, and were only there to check boxes for a certain margin of people. Par for the course in this genre now, I think. All in all, still a 3.5, round up for the great narration in audiobook format. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

A cute, clean, and uplifting young-adult rom-com.

Sadie and Seb spent high school as rivals, always competing for top honors. When they unexpectedly end up at the same college, competing for as editorial position for the school's famous Newsboy, Sadie fears her chances of a position are ruined. As they settle in to their life on campus, Sadie & Seb find their rivalry may lead them down a different path than they expected.

Similar to my earlier review of The Getaway List, the audio narrator was perfect for this - look forward to more stories by this author!

Tropes:
Enemies to lovers
Slow burn
Excellent banter

I love Emma Lord! She seriously writes the best characters. She is becoming an auto buy author for me.

I loved following Sadie and Seb, who are constantly competing for the same things, all while trying to ignore their chemistry.

This book is most definitely a slow burn, but add in the chemistry and the banter? It's totally ok.

I am not in college anymore, but I also loved the college setting. You can feel Sadie working on who she is and who she wants to be, and I loved that part of the story as well.

Check this one out!

Sadie and Seb grew up in families who were best friends and thoroughly entwined through very different. Sadie was thrilled that she was finally able to go to college away from her family and away from Seb but then he shows up not only at her school but in the activity that she very specifically went to this school for the honor of being part of this campus group. Not only are they competing against each other but they're also racing to save their school reputation and newspaper while still navigating their futures. It only makes sense to team up to do so though they've been Rivals for most of their childhood. This book was so cool and a great early adult transition book.

#arc
#netgalley
#therival

I loved the setting in this one, and the idea/implementation of all the clubs. Lord also nails the food descriptions, as always. The stakes felt real and tense and enjoyable.

4.5 stars, rounded up. Another fun read from Emma Lord! Pick up this RomCom if you enjoy:
🥞 College romance
🥞 Finding yourself
🥞 Friendly competition
🥞 Pancakes 🩷

Pancakes aside, this is a fun, sweet read. I loved the characters of Sadie and Seb - rivals for years, these two now find themselves competing for one spot on the college zine. Through their competition, Sadie unpacks their rivalry and also begins to discover who she truly is when she’s flying solo away from her family.

This is a story about discovering who you are, finding your path, and not losing what’s important along the way. It’s about finding new connections and discovering relationships that have been there all along. The college setting is perfect for Sadie on her journey of self-discovery.

This one is told entirely from Sadie’s point of view, flashbacks give us insights into the Sadie/Seb rivalry. I adored Sadie’s family; the characters and their relationships added so much to the story. If you’re looking for a sweet, slow-burn, will they/won’t they romance, don’t miss this one!

Many thanks to @netgalley for this audiobook.

**4.5-stars rounded up**

I'm not apologizing anymore. I'm done. Let it be known, I love Emma Lord, her stories, her characters, her wit and the themes she chooses to explore in her books. I've never walked away disappointed. They're silly, cutesy and so dang full of heart and humor. I'm a fan. A big, big, huge, unapologetic fan.

In this story we follow Sadie, who is excited to shake off the constraints of her small town and family, as she starts her first year at Maple Ridge College. She's most excited to focus on her writing, as she competes for a spot at the college's famous zine. What she wasn't expecting was to have to compete against her lifelong academic rival, Sebastian, for the spot.

Sadie and Seb's parents are best friends, and thus they've been shoved into each other's orbits their whole lives. Unfortunately, it seems they are always trying to out-do one another, so the relationship has been contentious. Traditionally, Maple Ridge has selected one student from their high school to attend, so Sadie thought she was golden. Apparently, Seb worked his way off the wait list though, probably just to be the bane of Sadie's existence.

Of course, he also wants to write for the zine, even though unlike Sadie, his long-term plan isn't to be a writer. At least, not if his Dad has anything to say about it. Even though she wants to continue to look at Seb with nothing but contempt, in this new setting, with more on the line and less support, he becomes a bit of a comfort as she transitions to college life. Before they know it, they seem to be working together in a way they never have before, and also starting to feel things they've never felt before.

This was so cute. It's such an Emma Lord story. She has such a style and formula, and darn it, it works. I find myself becoming completely invested in her characters, no matter what they are going through. I feel like nobody writes inner-turmoil, or self-doubt, quite like Emma Lord. She makes everything relatable and understandable. It's hard not to root for her main characters.

I love academic rival situations anyway, so this was sort of set-up to be a win for me. There's something so sexy about two individuals battling it out with their big brains. I also love Lord's side characters. There's never anyone who feels superfluous. Every player has a point, a reason for being there, and a well-developed personality to boot.

In this, both Sadie and Seb have some issues they're working through in regards to their families. I thought those aspects were very well done. There are def some complex feelings to work through as you move out of the family home for the first time, and that was examined in detail here.

I would recommend the audiobook if you have access to it. The narration was so great as a voice for Sadie's perspective. I had such a good time listening to it. There were moments that I was laughing out loud, and others were I was nodding in understanding. Just a really well rounded YA Contemporary. If you've loved Emma Lord before, or want to try her work for the first time, you should really check this one out!

Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. Keep 'em coming, Emma Lord!

Read If You Like:
- Rivals-to-lovers romance
- College campus settings
- Witty banter and academic competition
- Slow-burn chemistry
- Heartfelt narratives with humor

The Rival is a romantic comedy that brings a fresh twist to the classic rivals-to-lovers trope. The story centers on Sadie, a determined student who has long competed with her neighbor, Seb, for academic accolades. When both are accepted into their dream college, they find themselves vying for a coveted spot on the school's prestigious zine. As they navigate this new competition, they uncover systemic issues within the institution, prompting them to collaborate despite their rivalry. This partnership leads to unexpected discoveries about each other and themselves, blending humor, romance, and social commentary seamlessly.

The novel's pacing is engaging, with well-developed characters and a plot that balances humor and heartfelt moments. The chemistry between Sadie and Seb is palpable, making their journey from rivals to partners both believable and compelling. The narrative offers a realistic portrayal of the complexities of young adulthood, ambition, and the courage required to challenge the status quo.

The Rival is a charming and irresistible read for fans of romantic comedies that offer more than just a love story. With its engaging plot, relatable characters, and a setting that feels both familiar and fresh, this novel is perfect for those seeking a feel-good escape into a world of romance and self-discovery.

Thanks so much to Wednesday Books and Macmillan for my ebook, ALC and finished copy!

The heartbreaking reality of dnf'ing a romance read on Valentine's day.....

I was excited for this book since I enjoyed some of Emma Lord's other books, The Getaway list and The Break Up pact, but this book is just too whiny. I understand that the main character, Sadie, is a college freshman and is still insecure but I think I may have aged out of reads like this. I just cannot relate to her in anyway and it is too cringey to continue on after this 26% mark. I think if I was reading this with a 20 year old brain instead of 27 year old, I would feel differently but at this point it is not meant for me - and that's okay!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan audio for this arc!

This was ADORABLE.

Despite taking place during freshman year of college, this story definitely read more like a YA romance vs. New Adult, but I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless! This has everything in it that I've come to love from Emma Lord's writing - coming of age stories, first loves, complicated family dynamics, close friendships, great banter, and life lessons that everyone can take something away from.

Sadie and Seb are the true definitions of "frenemies" - long time (family) friends who are always competing and trying to one-up each other. Their dynamic was so fun and watching them grow into themselves and finally coming to terms with how they feeling about each other was a delight.

Frenemies fall in love in this collegiate romance. Seb and Sadie met when they were babies, became rivals in grade school, and have been competing ever since. And now, they're vying for a single spot on the staff of their college's campus 'zine, the launching point of many famous writers' careers. But they discover they actually can get farther in life if they work together.

This was a mostly fluffy, zany romantic comedy with a LOT of will they, won't they...almost too much. I thought it was written really well, but Sadie's manic narration was way over the top for me and her family was more annoying than quirky. Seb was a really sweet character but I was confused about how he fit into the story at times. The book overall felt much longer than it needed to be. It's too bad because I was really vibing with it and laughing at the characters' antics until about 40 percent of the way in, when I felt like the action was stalling.

The audio narration wasn't bad. Sort of like Leslie Knope on steroids. You may not need your daily coffee if you listen at 1.5x speed.

I always really enjoyed Emma Lord's books and this one wasn't any different. It wasn't necessary my favorite but it still had all the things I love about the author's books. The plot was fun, and I enjoyed the characters a lot. The audiobook was great as well, the narrator did a fantastic job!

I just finished The Rivals by Emma Lord and this is my review.

Sadie sighs a huge breath of relief when she gets to the school of her choice because her long time rival is going somewhere else for school until he is moved from the waitlist and ends up on campus. Her blood boils instantly when Seb is there to continue their rivalry. Trouble is the more time they have to spend together, the more they can see past their rivalry but something more is going on at the school and it's going to take more than the pair of them to bring it to attention.

I didn’t think I was going to like this one. I got the audio and the e-book from @netgalley and honestly the narration was utter perfection and I had a hard time switching to reading.

I loved the rivalry. I thought it was done really well. They weren’t enemies, not really, they were childhood friends who’s friendship turned to a rivalry they never really came back from and it was fun. So much fun to watch them one up each other. The fact they were neighbors growing up too added to the complexity. It was really entertaining. I really enjoyed the setting. Being on a college campus really made it feel more exciting.

Watching them work together when they are competing for the same opportunity made for some compelling banter and they had undeniable chemistry!

I thought it all worked really well together and I enjoyed both Sadie and Seb, even though his name started to feel made up the more I heard it haha.

All round solid YA read.

Read if you like

- Slow-burn romance
- Rivals/enemies to lovers
- Childhood best friends to academic rivals
- University life
- Coming-of-age

4 stars

Thank you to @macmillanaudio and @stmartinspress for my gifted copies

#enemiestolovers #therivals #emmalord #ya #yaromance #slowburn #bookishreview #bookblog #bookishvlog #smpinfluencer #booksbooksbooks #booktube #booktok #bookstababe #bookalorian #booktalk #bookishchat #bookbanter

The atmosphere felt very accurate, the opening scene of having 2 buildings with the same name made me laugh out loud since I went through the exact same thing when the first day of University and I can confirm it is incredibly confusing! The characters both enjoyable but I did prefer Seb! both were easy to relate to and likable. THE BANTER!!!!! Omg it was just so good! It felt very relatable honestly, lot of weirdly similar life experiences in this book which was fun. There were many pacing issues throughout this which did make the book drag on a bit.

The last 30% ish did loose me a little. The conflict with her sisters and her best friend was a little dumb and I had a few issues with it but the resolution was well done.

I will say this is my favorite Emma Lord to date.

I’m a big fan of an author and liked the narration. But this one felt a bit too unrealistic for me. However, it was a sweet and easy read.

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

Let me start with a positive - I adore the cover and I am a faithful Emma Lord reader. I really enjoyed The Getaway List.

Buuuuuuut….to say I loathed this book would be kind. The immaturity of the MCs had me wondering wth?? While I look at it as YA these are college students that had no business leaving their mommy daddy nest because they clearly still need to be on the tit.

By 50% I had zero clue what the point was and that I only wanted to never read a book ever again.

Anyways, I will still continue to support the author because she’s a cool queen but this was not the book for me. I already had taken the picture and edited it so I had to post a little something something.

Loved this one! It’s a YA with more substance than expected. The narrator was one of my favorites, she does a great job with every book. Highly recommend this one!