The Rival by Emma Lord: Review
Welcome to my review of The Rival by Emma Lord. She’s a must-read author for me, and I will definitely be working on reading the rest of her books this year.

Title: The Rival: A Novel
Author: Emma Lord
Genre: YA Romantic Comedy
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pub Date: 01/21/25
Description
Rivals-to-lovers gets an academic send-up in this charming and irresistible romantic comedy from Emma Lord, New York Times bestselling author of Tweet Cute and Begin Again.
At long last, Sadie has vanquished her lifelong academic rival — her irritatingly charming, whip smart next door neighbor, Seb — by getting the coveted, only spot to her dream college. Or at least, so she thinks. When Seb is unexpectedly pulled off the waitlist and admitted, Sadie has to compete with him all over again, this time to get a spot on the school’s famous zine. Now not only is she dealing with the mayhem of the lovable, chaotic family she hid her writing talents from, as well as her own self doubt, but she has to come to terms with some less-than-resentful feelings for Seb that are popping up along the way.
But the longer they compete, the more Sadie and Seb notice flaws in the school’s system that are much bigger than any competition between them. Somehow the two of them have to band together even as they’re trying to crush each other, only to discover they may have met their match in more ways than one.
Review
Before this, I’d read four of Emma Lord’s books and loved them all. So, although I try to go in with no expectations, I’ve come to expect a certain je ne sais quoi that makes up her stories.
Early in The Rival, I thought the plot was fun, but I wasn’t sure if the story was going to have the same emotional punch that her other books have. I was so very wrong. So very sorry I ever doubted her. Emma Lord is a genius at writing connection and falling in love, not only with people but with life. She never misses.
I love love, so this book had me cheesing and grinning so many times. There’s nothing better than two people realizing they actually don’t hate each other. That they might actually like each other, or even more. Seb and Sadie were not for the faint of heart, but they truly understood each other in a way no one understood them.
And while the romance was a great aspect of the book, the heart of the story was about Sadie’s growth from the old Sadie to the new Sadie and figuring out if she could be her true self around everyone. It felt poignant for people who share bits and pieces of themselves with those closest to them because they’re too scared to show themselves in their full glory and be rejected. So, while this book was about a freshman in college trying to follow her dreams while also competing against her rival, I think it’s relevant for those in and out of school.
The character Betty was one of the highlights of the book and made me want pancakes so badly that I had to make my own (without the sprinkles because ew). The setting also brought back all those memories of starting college and figuring out what independence looked like and what passions called.
Overall, The Rival is for you if you want to laugh as much as you want to swoon. If you want to see imperfect people and their imperfect friends take on a university. If you want to see pancakes have the power to unite.
*Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.*
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, a whole lot of love, and copious amounts of grilled cheese. She is the author of Tweet Cute, You Have a Match, When You Get the Chance, Begin Again, The Getaway List, The Break-Up Pact, and The Rival.
Where to Buy
Bookshop | Barnes & Noble | Amazon