Begin Again by Emma Lord Book Review

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The publisher kindly provided me with a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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As usual, Andie Rose has a plan: Transfer from community college to the hyper competitive Blue Ridge State, major in psychology, and maintain her lifelong goal of becoming an iconic self-help figure despite the nerves that have recently thrown her for a loop. All it will take is ruthless organization, hard work, and her trademark unrelenting enthusiasm to pull it all together.

But the moment Andie arrives, the rest of her plans go off the rails. Her rocky relationship with her boyfriend Connor only gets more complicated when she discovers he transferred out of Blue Ridge to her community college. Her roommate Shay needs a major, and despite Andie’s impressive track record of being The Fixer, she’s stumped on how to help. And Milo, her coffee-guzzling grump of an R.A. with seafoam green eyes, is somehow disrupting all her ideas about love and relationships one sleep-deprived wisecrack at a time.

But sometimes, when all your plans are in rubble at your feet, you find out what you’re made of. And when Andie starts to find the power of her voice as the anonymous Squire on the school’s legendary pirate radio station–the same one her mom founded, years before she passed away–Andie learns that not all the best laid plans are necessarily the right ones.

Filled with a friend group that feels like family, an empowering journey of finding your own way, and a Just Kiss Already! romance, Begin Again is an unforgettable novel of love and starting again.

Begin Again Book Review

Since Emma Lord’s debut, I’ve started each year reading her newest release. Begin Again is a really sweet contemporary romance that I really enjoyed. While Tweet Cute is still my favourite, Begin Again is a solid read.

Begin Again follows Andie, who transfers to a competitive college to be with her boyfriend. When she arrives, she discovers that her boyfriend transferred to her community college. While there, she starts new friendships and finds a new version of herself.

Andie is a really sweet main character. While she transfers to the college to be with her boyfriend, it’s really nice to find out that she has her own connection to the school because of her mom. I loved the radio show aspect of this book — and the connection to her mom through this radio show makes it even better.

Miles is an adorable character. You really can’t help but love him from the beginning of the book. While his relationship with Andie is a slow-burn, it’s really satisfying.

The overall plot of Begin Again is really endearing and I love that it focuses on finding yourself. Andie puts a lot of people ahead of herself, and it’s really nice to see how she shifts throughout the book. It’s a good reminder to focus on ourselves.

Overall, Begin Again is a fun young adult contemporary. It’s lighthearted and fluffy — and full of Emma Lord’s signature wit and humour. While Tweet Cute is still my favourite, Begin Again will certainly be a favourite for many readers!

Rating: ★★★☆☆

About the Author

Emma Lord is a digital media editor and writer living in New York City, where she spends whatever time she isn’t writing either running or belting show tunes in community theater. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a major in psychology and a minor in how to tilt your computer screen so nobody will notice you updating your fan fiction from the back row. She was raised on glitter, grilled cheese, and a whole lot of love. Her sun sign is Hufflepuff, but she is a Gryffindor rising.

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