Begin Again by Emma Lord
Out now from Wednesday Books
“Anything worth doing starts with a mess.”
Emma Lord is pretty much becoming the queen of sweet YA/NA books. I first discovered her with Tweet Cute, which was lovely, and then last year’s When You Get the Chance was an absolute delight (I still need to get You Have a Match off my bookshelf and read it).
Lord brings that charm again in the upcoming Begin Again, which follows Andie Rose as she navigates life at her dream college while also living with the shadow of her late mother, who was also an alum of Blue Ridge State. Andie has a boyfriend back home who, in a hilarious if not exactly believable opening plot twist, has transferred from Blue Ridge to the hometown community college where Andie had spent her first semester. Yes, the two switched schools and neither had any idea the other was planning it. So, not the best relationship from a communication standpoint.
Soon, Andie is struggling in classes because she is obsessed with a school tradition involving the collection of colored ribbons and secret societies. She also gets involved with the college’s underground radio program with her roommate Shay and RA Milo. Shay is probably my favorite character and I demand that she have her own book. Milo is grumpy, deeply caffeinated, has the biggest heart. And he’s way better for Andie than the deadbeat boyfriend back home. By the end, Andie has found a place where she belongs, and the epilogue is sweet and is the perfect ending to this feel-good story. I highly recommend this one to anyone who needs their spirits lifted by a heartfelt tale with adorable characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and to Wednesday Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
