You Have a Match

by Emma Lord

A new love, a secret sister, and a summer she'll never forget.

From the beloved author of Tweet Cute comes Emma Lord's You Have a Match, a hilarious and heartfelt novel of romance, sisterhood, and friendship...

When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.

But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister.

When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents — especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself.

The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby's growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.

But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Audiobook, Fiction, Summer, Realistic Fiction

309 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 12, 2021

About the author

Emma Lord is an NYT bestselling author of rom coms for teens and adults, a BuzzFeed senior writer, and dessert gremlin living in New York City. 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. Her sun sign is Cancer and her moon sign is whatever Taylor Swift song is about to pop up on shuffle.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart is literally smiling. I start to see imaginary heart emojis whirling around my head and I keep giggling like mischievous teenagers or worst kind of annoying romance heroines. This book is AMAZING!

I loved the Parent Trap with non identical twins theme!
Storyline: Two sisters accidentally find each other via DNA service and decide to dig more to learn what their parents are hiding from them by participating a summer camp together.

There are 1 year and half age difference between them. From their appearances, it is obvious that they’re siblings. But characteristically they’re completely opposite of each other.

Abby, talented avid photographer who doesn’t like to share her works because her ancient but survivor camera has been given to her by her grandfather (Poppy) who recently died. After his death, her grades started to drop, she is still shaken and suffocated by her parents oppressively controlling attitudes about her school success. Now she has to go to summer school but her unique hacking skills saved her from her parents’ wrath. (She hacked their emails, deleting phone messages from school)

She is reckless risk taker and injury-prone tree climber, skater but when it comes to be brave about her own feelings, she fails. Leo is her long time crush but nearly kissing experience later she learned he wasn’t into her from their common best friend so she starts acting like nothing happened ( of course she’s getting clumsier and acting more weird around him. Those two guys are so cute,sweet pies!)

And let’s not forget the elder mysterious sister: Savannah.She likes photos, too but she prefers to be in front of camera, not the other way around. She’s a social media goddess with her sterile, clean, ultra healthy life tips, yoga poses, greenest drinks turn you into Hulk. Her family is Tony Stark kind of rich ( but you may imagine they cannot be at least %10 as charismatic as him.)

Abby accepts to go to camp but she didn’t count two important things. Leo is at the camp, too and he seems like he’s so happy to see her, confusing her mind with his pull-push mixed signals and Savannah is controlling, rigid rule follower and total narc.

At first Abby wants to leave the place because of Savannah’s irritating antics but later she forms great friendships, evolving her photography and she realizes she starts to like hanging out with her sister who is dealing with the love life problems, reluctant to come clean about her feelings.

This is sweet friendship, sisterhood, family book with lovely romantic vibes. It heals your soul and widen your smiles, brightening your mood. I read it at one of most stressful times and it help me a lot to see the rainbows after the stormy rains.

I enjoyed Tweet Cute before but this book is so much better. I even liked it more than original Parent Trap script because the families’ story about the sisters is more meaningful and emotional.
Overall: I recommend to everyone who wants to feel good and enjoy entertaining, heart warming, sweet young adult and family books.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this lovely ARC with me in exchange my honest review.

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

You Have a Match is exactly the type of story I have come to expect from Emma Lord. Light, heart-warming and fun, this family-focused YA Contemporary will fill you with hope.



When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it's mainly to support her best friend, Leo. He's adopted and wants to know more about where he came from.

Unfortunately, while Leo doesn't discover anything of note about his bio-family, Abby sure does. She discovers the existence of a secret sister!



Not a half sister. A full blown, we have the exact same parents, sister. Abby can't believe it. How could her parents keep something this important from her?

As it turns out, her sister, Savvy, isn't much older than Abby and lives nearby. She's also an actual Instagram celeb, with the perfect hair, skin and lifestyle to match. Great.



The girls first meeting, while not a total failure, doesn't get them any closer to getting to the bottom of the mystery.

Even though she has to lie to her parents in order to do so, Abby agrees to attend a summer camp Savvy will be working at as a Junior Counselor. That way they'll have some alone time to figure everything out.



The camp is located on an island and on her ferry ride there, Abby stumbles upon her best friend, and uncomfortable love interest, Leo.

Abby knew he attended a summer camp, but she had no idea it was THIS one! As it turns out Leo will be on the staff as well this summer, and he and Savvy have actually been friends for years.



This book is absolutely adorable. From the very first chapter, I was hooked right into Lord's writing. She has such a smooth, easy-to-read style. It makes her stories completely engaging!

There is a lot of drama in this one. She does manage to bring some important topics to her books, even though, overall, the feeling is light and fluffy.



As you can tell from the synopsis, as well as what I have written above, this story explores family relationships; what makes someone family, different types of family constructs, etc.

Abby is also struggling with grief after the loss of her Poppy. I liked how Lord handled that difficult topic. Somehow, she has the ability to keep things light-hearted even while tackling these heavier life issues.



The summer camp vibes were great fun. It gave the teen characters a little more freedom to engage with one another, than they would have had in a more traditional setting.

Plus, who doesn't love summer camp!?



Overall, I had a great time reading this story. I will continue to pick it up anything Emma Lord writes. I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity to share my opinion.

[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

EL sure is making a name for herself in the world of contemporary YA. i loved her debut novel and this second book has just as much personality and heart.

i adore how realistic and genuine all of the characters are. they arent perfect, but they sure are relatable. its rewarding to see abby confront many challenges in her life and grow because of them. i love how EL has created a fun and unique story, but one that also has meaning behind it.

overall, definitely a cute read and one i think all fans of ‘tweet cute’ will thoroughly enjoy!

a big thanks to st. martins press/wednesday books for the ARC!

↠ 3.5 stars

[emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Do you know how hard it is to make a summer camp book boring?

And not just a summer camp book - a secret-sister family-drama friends-to-lovers finding-yourself summer camp book?

Have you considered how goddamn hard it would be to fit all of that into 300 pages and still find time to make it a snooze and a half?

Because this manages to do it and make it look easy.

This is simply a very meh situation.

I did not like the author's other book, Tweet Cute, very much, but I did not think it was BORING. In fact I thought it was funny and promising but simply annoying.

This had none of the flavor. None of the pizzazz. Nothing in this could have annoyed me, because I was too busy not caring.

A minor tragedy. But I'll get over it.

Due to the whole not-caring thing.

Bottom line: Bummer! But not really.

---------------
pre-review

the defining characteristics of summer aren't "meh" and "boring" and "ugh," so i take back what i said about this being the summeriest thing ever.

review to come / 2ish stars

---------------
tbr review

have you ever seen anything summerier?

also, can you believe summerier is not marked as a typo?

buddy read with lily and all is right with the world

---------------

reading all books with LGBTQ+ rep for pride this month!

book 1: the gravity of us
book 2: the great american whatever
book 3: wild beauty
book 4: the affair of the mysterious letter
book 5: how we fight for our lives
book 6: blue lily, lily blue
book 7: the times i knew i was gay
book 8: conventionally yours
book 9: the hollow inside
book 10: nimona
book 11: dark and deepest red
book 12: the house in the cerulean sea
book 13: the raven king
book 14: violet ghosts
book 15: as far as you'll take me
book 16: bad feminist
book 17: a song for a new day
book 18: one last stop
book 19: to break a covenant
book 20: honey girl
book 21: check, please!
book 22: the subtweet
book 23: if we were villains
book 24: everything leads to you
book 25: you have a match

[Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. While this didn't quite live up to how much I adored Tweet Cute last year, this book was still SUCH a delight. Emma Lord has such a knack for writing realistic bonds between characters (romantic OR familial), and I just adore her characters and her stories. With that being said, I did struggle a little with the way the parents existed in this one. If you weren't aware, this book is about a girl finding out that she has a biological sister that her parents put up for adoption before she was born, and something about the way that that worked out in the story felt a little weird to me and it kept me from loving this one as much as I was hoping to. With that being said, I still quite enjoyed this one and I'm looking forward to reading whatever Emma Lord puts out next!!

[Irena BookDustMagic · Rating 4 out of 5]

rereading this darling

[jenny✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded down. If I had to describe this novel in one word, I think it'd be corny.

This wasn't bad. In fact, some parts of the story genuinely piqued (and held) my interest—particularly the deepening bond between Abby and Savvy, the unravelling of the mystery behind their past, and Abby’s reckoning with herself.

But the writing itself came across, to me, as somewhat juvenile and cheesy: all acronyms ("Big Embarrassing Incident" aka "BEI”), cliché nicknames ("Abby the Lying Liar”), trite romance, and weird dialogue and actions that I couldn't picture myself or any of my friends saying or doing in real life.

I also personally just am not interested in culinary stories, or YA stories about social media stars—effectively nulling my interest in either Leo or Savvy, who are two important characters in Abby's story. I was aware when I requested this ARC that social media would play a role in the story, but I didn’t realize Leo's storyline was so heavily rooted in food and cooking.

Moreover, I picked this book up in the hopes that it would provide a more nuanced take on what it means to be an Instagram influencer, instead of painting an overly romanticized image where the influencer is some benevolent dispenser of self-help wisdom. This, unfortunately, wasn't the case.

Savvy's brand of Instagram wellness in particular rubbed me the wrong way, and reminded me of many thin, conventionally attractive white influencers who monetize beauty norms and (harmful) health fads for their own benefit. I know the story tried to play off Savvy as a charitable, generous, compassionate influencer, but I'd ask you to consider how promoting juice cleanses and yoga poses contributes to the dismantling of harms perpetrated by capitalism, consumerism, and narrow beauty ideals on social media. I think the word "influencer" itself speaks volumes.

That being said, there was a scene where Abby's newfound camp friends discuss the ways they want to use their Instagram accounts, and I liked seeing the different ideas they each had—from a chronicling of one's med school journey ("Like Grey's Anatomy, but make it Gen Z") to Dungeons & Dragons cosplaying. I still wish there had been more critical nuance, but seeing these fun niches highlighted, to me, the flexibility and creativity made possible by social media.

I also appreciated the diversity in side character rep: Leo and his sister Carla are adopted Filipino-Americans, while Mickey (a Filipina) and Savvy are queer—though I wish that there had been more discussion of the Filipino characters' culture. Not only would this have deepened readers’ understanding of Leo and other side characters, but it also would’ve helped to mitigate the sense that these characters were placed in the story only as token people of colour.

Finally, I want to end with my favourite quote in the book—a moment that sheds the saccharine cheesiness in favour of genuine poignancy:

But the understanding and pain are woven together, tighter than a knot, and together make something so immovable that it doesn’t matter what I mean and what I don’t. It’s all going to end with me yanking on something that can’t be undone.

Bottom line: Maybe I would've liked this more if I'd read this when I was younger and more tolerant of cliché storylines.



Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars



You Have a Match is Emma Lord's sophomore novel and while I didn't love it quite as much as her debut 'Tweet Cute', it was still a fantastic YA story.

Abby and her two best friends Leo and Connie all take a DNA test. Leo is adopted and wants to know more about his heritage. Abby gets quite the surprise when she finds out she has a full blooded older sister that lives near her. How is this even possible? Abby decides to keep it quiet for now and go to the summer camp her sister Savvy works at and spend more time with her. Maybe they can figure out why/how all this happened...

I felt this book was kind of like two different stories that kind of merged in a way. There is the story of Leo and Abby. Best friends. It's fairly obvious (at least to the reader) that Leo is the romantic interest early on and both have more than friendly feelings for one another.

Maybe it’s why we’ve always kind of gravitated to each other. I pull Leo off the ledges of his thought spirals. He pulls me off literal ledges. We’ve got each other’s backs.

The other part of the story is the familial aspect. Getting to know Abby's sister, Savvy, and also seeing the background story between her and her parents. I think the author did a good job balancing the two, but I also think the story maybe would have been better for me if the romance was stronger, or there was no romance at all. The relationship with Leo was like dangling a carrot in front of you... it never felt like enough. But that could just be me.

Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this book. It had humor, a lot of heart, and a great family/found family storyline. I'm looking forward to reading more of Emma Lord's books in the future. It's obvious she's a talented writer!

[Katie B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

With the popularity of ancestry DNA testing kits, some test takers have gotten unexpected results. I like how the author incorporated that into a story as the main character in this book finds out she matched with a sibling she didn't know existed. And of course learning something that big is going to have an impact on her life and seeing how the situation played out is what I loved most about the story.

Abby signs up for a DNA testing service mainly because her best friend, aka her secret crush, Leo, is doing it as well. Big shocker when the results indicate she has a sister named Savannah. This sister she never knew about goes by the name Savvy and is a semi-famous Instagrammer. So why was Savvy put up for adoption? Well, neither girl is quite ready to ask the biological parents or the adoptive parents all the details so they hatch a plan to spend time together at a summer camp to try and figure it out. And it just so happens Leo works as a chef at this same summer camp as well. What a coincidence.

I read the author's other book, Tweet Cute, and I ended up giving this book the same star rating although each book had different strengths and weaknesses. While I liked the romance in Tweet Cute, I thought this book lacked proper development when it came to her love life. I actually would have preferred if the story focused only on the relationship of the sisters and the family drama.

Normally I'm game for a summer camp setting (shoutout to The Baby-Sitters Club: Super Special #2!) but it didn't work for me in this book. There were minor characters and storylines at the camp that seemed pointless because they weren't fully fleshed out. Not to sound like a broken record but the family stuff in the story was great, but just about everything else needed some fine tuning.

Overall, I did enjoy this one even though it wasn't a perfect read. With romance not being the number one plot, I think the book best fits in the young adult fiction genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an advance digital copy! All views expressed are my honest opinion.

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn, You Have A Match by Emma Lord blew my mind. Ever since I read the first book by Emma Lord, and I loved it, I knew I had to read her other books, and i'm so glad I read this one because it was just as good as the others were. I went into this story completely blind, which I highly recommend doing because everything that happened in this story came as a surprise and I loved every minute of it. Please, do yourself a favor and pick up a book by Emma Lord, you definitely won't be disappointed with any book she writes. Every character had my heart, the story just all together was so beautiful. By any means none of these characters were perfect, they all had their own flaws, and were very relatable. Although this book did touch on heavy matters it was still so enjoyable. I was hooked from the very first page, and couldn't put it down until I found out what the outcome was going to be.

A new love.
A secret sister.
And a summer she'll never forget.

When Abby signs up for a DNA test, it's mainly to give her best friend and secret love interest, Leo a nudge. Leo knows that he's adopted, but he wants to take a DNA test to learn more about his family and heritage. After all, Abby knows who she is, a best friend to Leo and Connie, an injury prone tree climber, and an avid photographer. But what Abby doesn't know is that she has a sister. Ever since the B.E.I (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been really awkward between the two. In the sixteen years of Abby's life her parents never mentioned a sister, so when the DNA test reveals that Abby has a secret sister she is completely shocked and quite pissed that her parents never told her. Abby has stayed quiet on this matter until Savvy sent a message to Abby saying the should meet up. Abby agrees to meet up with Savvy at a park, but they don't have much time so Savvy suggests that Abby attends the camp she works at, so they can have time to figure things out.

Savannah Tully, Abby's secret sister is a shimmery haired Instagram star. It's hard to believe they're from the same planet, let alone the same parents, especially considering that Savannah is a queen o green smoothies, and is only a year and a half older than Abby. Abby has three younger brothers as well. The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp and figure out why Abby's parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications that go with this meeting: Savvy is a rigid rule follower, and total narc. Leo is the camp's co-chef, putting Abby's growing feelings for him on blast. Connie has gone on a trip to Italy and couldn't make it to camp with these two best friends. And Abby's parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.

I loved the bond that Abby and Savvy formed, but when Connie made up a lie and told Abby that Leo never liked Abby kind of made me lose respect for Connie. All in all I just thought this was a beautiful story and I loved it so much!!! Please pick up a copy of this book or download it as an ebook and a cozy blanket and settle down on the couch and just read. I'm happy that I didn't cry reading this, but it still had some sad moments. But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones. Okay, also this book made me want to attend a summer camp and experience all the fun moments, and new friendships that life has to offer. This book will for a while remain in my heart, along with the characters.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Abby decides to take a genetics profile, she gets a surprise, a sister who’s one year older than her who was put up for adoption! Savannah lives close by… but neither of the girls can figure out the circumstances of their situation, so in a “Parent Trap” type reimaging, they go off to summer camp. I enjoyed the sister time, the friend time, and the writing voice, though admittedly I was most interested in seeing how things would play out with the secret-sisters-adoption hook! And wow, there were some twists and turns and drama-filled scenes when the parents finally came face to face!

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty cute YA book. ♥️ I definitely got “The Parent Trap” vibes. The romance/angst bits were not too cheesy. 😊 Overall a great light breezy read. 😎

[Cait Jacobs (Caitsbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the publisher for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Check out this review (and more) over on my blog!

Quick Stats:
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
Review in a Nutshell: I cannot express how much I love this book.

Release Date: 1/12/2021
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Page Count: 320 pages
Premise:
If you don't know, this book follows Abby, who discovers she has a long-lost biological sister after they match on a DNA testing site. What happens next is a funny and addictive read, perfect for fans of The Parent Trap!


- Plot -

When I first heard the synopsis for this book, I couldn't help but laugh because it hit a little too close to home. Just a year and a half ago, I discovered I had a biological older sister that I never knew about (and there are even more similarities beyond that that I won't get into here). I was excited to see how Emma Lord would portray this trope (which has become so personal to me), and I absolutely adored her take on it. She captures the emotions and the struggles of this so incredibly well. I love how a lot of this book focuses on the relationship between Abby and Savvy (the two sisters), as well as their relationships with their parents. I really enjoyed watching them grow and uncover the secrets of their pasts.


- The Characters & Relationships-

We also have some great side characters and a romance plot. Each of the side characters was just as well-developed as our main cast, and I came to love them all. The romance plotline is also amazing. This book has a cute friends-to-lovers romance at the center, and I love Leo, the love interest, more than life. He's just so sweet and adorable!! I'll be adding the phrase "Benvolio-ing" into my daily vocabulary now.


- Writing -

Outside of the great cast of characters, another standout aspect of this book is the writing. If you read Emma Lord's debut novel, Tweet Cute, then you might be familiar with her hilarious style, but if not, what are you doing with your life? Pick up Tweet Cute right now!! Or maybe pick up You Have A Match first... Either way, both of these books have Lord's trademark humor and wit that had me laughing throughout the entire book.

- Conclusion -

Pros- Interesting premise (but I might be biased there), funny, cute, lighthearted, great characters
Cons- ??? I have no idea. I just really love this book
Overall- 5/5 stars.
In the end, if you're looking for a funny and cute read, with plenty of heart at its core, pick up You Have A Match. You won't regret it.


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[Tee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tweet Cute was my favorite YA contemporary last year and I'm giddy with excitement now that I received an ARC for You Have a Match!
-----------------------------------------
"The space I come back to, whether I want it to be or not, won’t be Abby-shaped anymore— or maybe I won’t be the shape of the Abby who left."

I look back on the time after reading Tweet Cute when I believed I found my new favorite YA author in Emma Lord and I feel sorry for my past self because of disappointment she's about the experience.
Because You Have a Match was nowhere near as good as Emma Lord's debut.
Yes, great writing and humor were still there, but I had quite a few issues with it.
Too many events were unrealistic aka Disney-like; characters were always in the right place at the right time to overhear/witness something important; too many things were going on at the same time, it was slowing down the plot I really cared about.
And yes, I did get emotional a couple of times, but this story simply didn't deliver what I expected from it.

But, to those who are still excited about this book, here are some of my favorite quotes to keep your spirts up!

"That’s enough wishing for the day. Otherwise the ghost is going to shove me off the tree for whining and I’ll have to pick my own part of the woods to haunt."

“Okay, that was ten years ago. And I only fell, like, five feet.”
“On top of me.”
"But did you die?”

"Savvy is a trophy child. I’m more of a participation award."

"Seeing it through my eyes while seeing it through his, letting us both bleed into a world where those two things can be the same."

[abigailscupoftea · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I feel the full force of what happened a year ago, and a staggering appreciation for everything that has happened since. For the way my days then look almost nothing like my days now. For the little things that snowballed into big things, that gave me the life I have today.” 💛

I love this book so, so much.

[Gabby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one ended up being just okay for me!

Here's the vlog where I read it: https://youtu.be/BtaOGNWB6vY

[Susanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review also published on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Sweet, Light and Heartwarming.

High School best friends Abby, Leo, and Connie are like the three musketeers. About to be Seniors, they do everything together. That includes signing up for a DNA service. Abby and Connie mainly do it to support Leo, who is adopted and is looking to see who else might be a part of his family tree. It’s Abby however who gets the shock of her life when reviewing the DNA results and she discovers that she has a full-blood sister!

Enter eighteen-year-old Savvy. Instagram Influencer who is sheer perfection in every way. Savvy has always known she was adopted, she just didn’t know the story behind it. The fact that Abby had an older sister however is a complete shock. Now comes the hard part for the both of them, discovering the story behind their parent’s deception.

Then, of course, there’s Leo. Abby has had a crush on him for eons. Something almost happened between them a few months ago and then well, it didn’t and since then everything has been totally awkward between them. Now however they are going to be spending the summer together at camp, along with Savvy and all of Savvy and Leo’s friends. Enter sparks, romance, and a whole lot of teen angst!

“You Have a Match” is a sweet story filled with family, sisterhood, and romance by Emma Lord. This is now the second book I’ve read by this author and while I liked this book, in my opinion, it was nowhere near as cute or funny as “Tweet Cute” - which I absolutely loved. If you like YA novels, however, this might just be the perfect match for you.

Published on Goodreads on 2.14.21.
Review to be published on Twitter.

[aarya · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Abby discovers the existence of an older biological sister via a genetic test, a summer at camp reveals secrets that were meant to stay buried forever. This is less a rom-com and more about the newfound sisterly relationship. Not gonna lie — I cried like a baby during a couple scenes. There are a few plot/pacing issues that I didn’t like, but Emma Lord’s voice is strong enough that I hand-waved most of it away. When the voice works, everything clicks into place and other issues be damned.

Caveat re: rep. Abby’s love interest Leo is a transracial adoptee (his white parents adopted him and his sister from the Philippines). Clearly I’m not an expert in gauging the rep here, but: 1) the entire book is from Abby’s POV (which is a smart choice and I think the author stayed in her lane), 2) in general, I’m fairly frustrated with the popularity of “white authors writing biracial/adopted BIPOC characters that have little-to-no connection with their heritage” (Leo is unfortunately the latest example of this trend), and 3) Leo has a close Filipino friend Mickey in the camp (I really liked their friendship and how Leo wanted to become closer to his cultural roots). The romance is peripheral; we don’t get much insight from Leo since we only see him through Abby’s eyes.

One thing that I thought was odd: the reason Abby even takes the DNA test in the first place is because of Leo. He doesn’t know anything about his birth parents and (because there’s a discount if you buy several tests) bought tests for the friend group. Abby’s test results in a surprise sister and kicks off the story, but I’m puzzled by the discussion surrounding Leo’s DNA test. There’s a minor plot point where Leo reveals that his DNA test didn’t yield any results (his parents haven’t used the service, obviously) and he says that it’s probably for the best (he’s not prepared for what he might dig up).

And this isn’t BAD or anything, but I was surprised that the book never discusses how faulty/useless DNA services can be for BIPOC. The algorithms, the overly white sample size affecting bloodwork analysis, and more. If Leo’s birth parents still live in the Philippines, the odds of them taking the test are lower than if they live in the USA (I assume that these services tend to be American/Euro-centric). The lack of discussion re: DNA service flaws felt... odd. Like a glaring omission that needs to be remedied. I expect a book about DNA services to at least touch on the issue; they are controversial for extremely good reasons! I mean, the book never even discusses the security/privacy concerns of handing your genetic material over to a private company! That seems relevant, but what do I know?

Anyway: I enjoyed the book! I had a fun time reading it. But there is a lot to critique and I’ve barely scratched the surface. I would be interested in reading criticism from someone who didn’t like the book as much as I did, especially re: the DNA test aspect.

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Catherine (alternativelytitledbooks) - still catching up! · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Emma Lord for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 1.12.21!*

23andMe was just the beginning of the latest trend: use my DNA to tell me, well, all about me! Abby gets the idea to participate in genetic testing herself when best friend and latent crush Leo takes the same test to find out more about his background. Abby is stunned when she gets her results, however...she has a sister (!) Savvy is the lovely social media-savvy Instagram picture of meditation and holistic health, and when the two meet for the first time, they decide they have to get to the origin of their mysterious family secrets and subsequent separation. Savvy invites Abby to a camp she is working at over the summer, where Abby gets smacked in the face with another shocking surprise: Leo works there too and has known Savvy for years. Can Abby find the truth about her family's past, learn to get along with her new sister....and WHAT will she do about Leo?

Emma Lord's Tweet Cute was enchanting, sweet, and full of delicious treats, leaving me hungry for more, so I eagerly picked up her newest release, ready for more of the same. Unfortunately, these books almost feel like they belong in different worlds and at the very least are aimed at entirely different age groups. Tweet Cute had such universal appeal, I could really relate to the two protagonists in a cute, nostalgic sense. You Have A Match, however, is a YA book I would strictly recommend to the 11-13 set. The focus on all of the highs and lows of Instagram and social media stardom isn't really a concept I relate to at all. I know social media influencer is an actual 'job' these days, but for Abby to aspire to simply get a hundred thousand followers with her photography rather than focus on creating work she's proud of in her own regard simply plays into the pressure young people already face to get the next 'like'. I liked that Lord wanted to meld family dynamics and a budding love story, but between all of the backstory with both sets of parents, Abby's conflicts with friends, her internal conflict over her crush, and other extraneous characters, there was a LOT going on. The last third of the book is more interesting and cohesive than the beginning, and I wish the whole book had felt as though it proceeded on a more linear track.

Although this concept was a unique mix of the Parent Trap, exploring a first crush at summer camp, and finding a long-lost sibling, I feel there was lots of unrealized potential here. This would be a good summer read for a preteen, but for the adults who still enjoy YA like me, I would probably move on to the next. 3.5 ⭐️

[Monte Price · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm going to publish my full review closer to the actual release date, so I hope to see you all back here then. For now I'm just going to say this was an experience.

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Ultimately my thoughts on the book boil down to me thinking that it was rather directionless and cold. Going in I was excited about the idea of a girl finding out the existence of a sister she never knew about. It was the kind of messy interpersonal familial drama that I love to see in books, even more so because books about family seem to fly under the radar nine times out of ten these days. I don’t think that this one really hit the mark for me.

I found that the pacing of the book was fast, yet also leading us to nowhere in particular. The bulk of the book seemed more interested in the Abby/Leo romance drama, a pairing that while I wanted to root for things felt so meh it was hard for me to. Also in a book about sisters I definitely thought that their dynamic was going to be the focus and that was quickly overtaken by the attempts at a love triangle that while the focus almost always felt half baked.

I never really felt like Abby or Savvy had moments or time to shine. Either as individuals or as these people coming together after a lifetime of not knowing one another. Even when the novel quickly infodumped why it was that Savvy had been put up for adoption I felt that a lot of new issues were added into the plot that weren’t really addressed? It felt like a lot to work through that was instead seemingly pushed aside so the story get back to the Abby/Leo stuff. For parents that had been at odds for almost two decades the way in which they were finally able to put that to the side with ease was really hard for me to believe as a reader.

As excited as I was based on the premise I sadly just don’t think that I actually was part of the group of people that will enjoy this book. Though the way the book lacked any sense of summer camp vibes, a romance worth rooting for, or familial bonding I don’t know who I would recommend this book to who might enjoy it more than I did either.

[Susana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars ⭐

After the dumpster fire that was last year, 2021 really treating me with some amazing books, uh?



✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

You Have a Match follows Abby who decides to sign up for a DNA service in support of her best friend and crush, Leo, since he’s adopted and Filipino and wants to know more about his heritage. What she isn’t expecting is to find out that she has a full-blooded sister, Savvy, who is only two years older than her, and who has been kept a secret by her parents for the entirety of her sixteen years of life.

Abby and Savvy decide to meet up at a summer camp to uncover the reason Abby’s parents gave her sister up for adoption. However, what Abby doesn’t know at first, is that this is the same camp Leo has been going to since he was a child and, to add to that, Savvy is one of the people in charge and seemingly turns out to be not as friendly as Abby was expecting.

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

Finding out what happened to make Abby’s parents give up Savvy kept me really enthralled in this story. Tiny details are revealed bit by bit which made me so eager to continue reading. There’s a lot of unresolved tension between their parents and it gradually increases as the plot moves forwards.

I loved the sibling relationship between Abby and Savvy. At first, Abby is in two minds about the prospect of meeting this mysterious person and, when she does, she’s a bit sceptical. Savvy is a social media influencer who has gained a lot of popularity on Instagram and doesn’t exactly make the best first impression. Their first encounter is definitely awkward which I think is so realistic, because imagine meeting someone for the first time who is your full-blooded sibling. Eventually, however, Abby and Savvy begin to get to know each other better and start seeing their similarities.

My absolute favourite character, to no one’s surprise if you read my pre-review, is Leo. He is the sweetest, most amazing cinnamon roll and I adored him. The romantic tension between him and Abby is INSANE. They have so much chemistry and every time they were together, I was screaming at my phone for them to just admit their feelings for one another and kiss. You can tell Leo truly cares for Abby and genuinely wants her to be happy. They not only love each other romantically, but they have a beautiful friendship which I believe is the most important part, especially as a foundation for a possible new relationship.

I also would like to highlight my second favourite character: Finn. He is so funny as well as kind towards Abby. Finn’s the type of person who likes to make others laugh and is a bit flirty as well. I like how we get a glimpse of his life, particularly of his strained and complicated relationship with his mother.

Additionally, I liked Mickey and Connie, Savvy’s and Abby’s girl best friends, respectively. Connie ends up playing an important role in the story, although she doesn’t make much of an appearance, but Mickey totally adds to the amazing friend group dynamic between Abby, Savvy, Leo and Finn.

Also, can we talk about how Mickey immediately shipped Leo and Abby, because ME.

Me whenever Abby and Leo talked:



And when they finally kissed!!




On another note, family is definitely an important element in this book. Abby talks a lot about feeling like a nuisance and a disappointment to her parents and I think a lot of people will resonate with her in that sense. Additionally, the protagonist recently lost her grandfather who she was really close to which is something I can unfortunately relate to, so I got a bit emotional whenever she expressed how much she missed him.

I only have two minor flaws to point out. Firstly, there are certain times when Abby mentions hanging out with her friends, but they are only alluded to and I would have preferred if we had got to experience them with her first-hand. The other aspect is more of a me problem, I think. There were a few pages in the middle of the book that I wasn’t really feeling the story, though I’m not sure why, so take that with a pinch of salt.

Well, I believe it’s safe to say that Emma Lord is one of my new favourite authors. I can’t wait for her next book to come out! (check it out here) If you haven’t read any of her works yet, please do, especially if you’re a lover of YA stories with realistic teens, friendships, romance and family themes.

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

Pre-review:

LEO IS A GEM PROTECT HIM AT ALL COSTS AHHHHHH




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December 2020:

Tweet Cute was so cute, I have no doubt that I am going to love this book as well! I can't wait!

Check out my detailed review for Tweet Cute here!

[h o l l i s · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hoo boy the emotions this book made me have. So many. Yes, this has a cute cover, yes it's YA and from the author who gave us the hilarious TWEET CUTE last year but.. this still hits and some of those hits land hard.

Yes, yes, I cry easily, it's a very poorly kept secret that isn't a secret at all but even during some of the not-as-emotional moments, Lord somehow just handled certain moments with such.. I don't want to say care but, understanding? I felt so much of everything through the author's writing. Whether it was about struggling with awkward and unrequited feelings for your best friend, feeling second best, or a failure, whether it was wanting to bury things deep within just to avoid dealing with them, with confrontation, I could go on and on. We only get one POV and yet I felt all this from our lead and felt just as much for the secondary cast.

If you've read the plot, you know there's likely to be some drama and angst an some messy family discussions on the horizon and oh boy are there ever. Things got messy but there was less of that for the sake of drama and more the feeling of actual pain, loss, heartbreak. While one character jokes their life has taken on the hue of a CW tv show, they aren't wrong, exactly. But it still feels very real.

And as for the friend dynamics? Chefs kiss. So many varieties, so many layers, all the complications that ensue as a result. But they were wonderful even when things were going awry. Like, truly, what made me cry more? The family stuff, the friend stuff? Who can say!

Anyway, this is definitely a funny (not quite chockfull of outright lolz, so maybe I mean charming?), heartwrenching, delightful, and totally compelling read. I devoured it in a few short hours because I could not tear myself away.

I do just want to leave a brief note that, as of the time of me reading this (and keep in mind it's an ARC..), there were quite a few references to a certain Wizarding World universe as far as Houses and traits. While I don't know if they will make it into the final copy I thought it worth a mention. So if that is triggering for you, please just be mindful.

** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.

[human · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book manages to be fluffy yet serious at the same time, and I'm glad to say that I enjoyed it far more than I had anticipated.

'You Have a Match' follows Abby Day, as her world is turned upside down when she finds out that she has a full-blooded sister she never knew about. The two decide to meet up at a summer camp Savvy, her sister, is a counselor at, to try and figure out what went down with their parents eighteen years ago. Amidst the way her life has turned into a soap opera, Abby also has to deal with budding feelings for her friend Leo, her parents' overbearing nature towards her grades, and how untethered she's been feeling since her grandpa died. Needless to say, it's going to be an interesting summer.

The characters are honestly one of the best parts of this book. The book is told from Abby's perspective, and you can't help but feel for her and the situation she's found herself in. To me, she felt real, and I really enjoyed reading all that went down from her perspective. There are also many supporting characters, most of whom also have backstories that are expanded upon, and add their own little something to the overarching plot.

I've always been pretty hesitant to read contemporaries because I usually find myself bored, or feeling that so much has happened yet nothing has *actually* happened. That was certainly not the case with this book. While there is quite a lot of drama, it doesn't feel pointless, or that it's dragging the book out for the sake of dragging the book out. It's constructive, enjoyable, and moves the plot forward, but the plot itself doesn't overtake the main theme of the story.

Arguably, this book is more of a coming-of-age-with-the-wholesome-family-bonds-we-all-know-and-love book than a romance book. While the romance does play a significant part in the book, the focus is far more directed on Abby's character growth - namely how she learns to come out of her shell, and be who she really wants to be.

I definitely felt transported to Camp Reynolds while I was reading this; like I was really right there as the plot unfolded, which is really saying something, because I've never been to a summer camp before. I was able to see the friendships grow and blossom as they did over the course of the story.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable read, which I found myself smiling at more times than not. I'd recommend it for anyone who is looking for a good contemporary with strong coming-of-age themes, or even something reminiscent of 'The Parent Trap'.

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super Duper cute! I loved Emma Lord’s TWEET CUTE and found YOU HAVE A MATCH to be equally fabulous. When Abby agrees to take a DNA test along with her BFFs Leo and Connie she never thought it would turn her world upside down. imagine if on a whim you send in your DNA to one of those ancestor websites and find out you have a secret sister. Not a cousin, not a half-sister, but a full blooded sister and even more unsettling she looks a lot like you. Abby is still reeling from the shock of it when her long-lost sister savanna reaches out to her. Savanna and Abby meet and decide they are going to team up investigate what secret their parents are keeping. Why did they give Savanna up for adoption all those years ago? OK now here is where you need to stretch the believability a little. So Abby is going to acquiesce and go to a SAT prep camp that her parents have been bothering her to go to. Savanna just so happens to be a junior counselor at this camp, but wait... it gets better! Leo, Abby‘s BFF/secret crush is the chef at this camp and has known Savanna for years. Abby didn’t put these pieces together because the camp has changed its name. not very likely, but so much fun!

Loved the summer camp setting of this book. It was fun watching Abby and Savanna get to know one another, even though they were so very opposite. The Romance in the Story was cute and understated. more than the romance I really loved the family dynamics in the story as well as watching Abby Bloom. as a parent it really made me think about expectations we put on our kids and how sometimes we just need to sit back and listen to they have to say (I’ve got much better about this through the years). Eva Kaminski narrated the audiobook, she gave the perfect feel and voice to the story. this was a fun feel-good story that put a smile on my face and gave me the warm fuzzies.

This book in emojis 🧬 📸 🌅 📱 🦌 🌳 🔦

*** Big thank you to Wednesday Books & Macmillan Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

CW: Adoption conflict between parents

Well I thoroughly enjoyed this funny and heartfelt story about family and friendships!

I found the characters to be totally relatable and engaging. I ended up feeling quite invested in their journeys and even had to fight back tears at a few points. The romance felt natural and flowed nicely alongside the main story about sisters, Abby and Savannah. The writing had a certain warmth to it that I really appreciated. Look, make no mistake you are in for cheese and corn in this light hearted novel but I ate it up and loved it.

[Ania · Rating 4 out of 5]

CZEMU JA ZAPOMNIAŁAM ZAZNACZYĆ, ŻE SKOŃCZYŁAM CZYTAĆ JĄ PARE DNI TEMU XDD

[Drew's ambitious reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

You Have a Match by Emma Lord is her sophomore novel that came out on Tuesday January 12, 2021 and to say I was excited for this was very true. I didn't really knew much about this book before requesting it from the publishing company just knew that it was the same author who wrote Tweet Cute which came out last year and I really loved that one. This second novel is all about finding a secert sister that u never knew u had and falling in love with ur secert male friend! This book had some lgbt characters in here too and for me I think the last two chapters of the book took the cake for me overall that it mad this book a 5 star read for me.
So You Have a Match is all about our main character name Abby who is in her junior year of high school and her school consulelr told her she needed to take a summer school class and she wouldn't have it a school but at this summer camp call: Camp Reynolds. So Abby didn't wanted to go to this camp because she wasn't sure if she knew anyone there but soon enough she finds out she knows not just one but almost the whole camp there!
This second novel from Emma Lord was just what I needed durning these stressfull time. Which is a fun lighthearted read and something to make me laugh out loud which I did a lot. There are so many amazing characters in this novel and for the first time in a while I read a contemporary book that feature a family! With actual parents and siblings! Which is a nice fresh take from reading fantasy lately (Lol).
Anyways I knew very little about this book except that it was a ya contemporary novel that had lgbt characters and a main character trying to find some secret that her parents have kept from her all her life. But as soon as Abby takes this DNA test she finds out she has a secret sister that is two years older than her and that runs Camp Reynolds and then things happened from there. I won't put spoilers in this reivew but just know I read this one very quickly and so happy I was able to get a phycial copy of this arc from the publishers so thank u very much!
If u looking for a quick and fun and lighthearted summer contemporary read You Have a Match is ur book to pick up. It has a secert that the family is holding, a summer camp, love in the air, kayking happening, hiking happening, and a summer that Abby wouldn't forget, and neither will u!(:

[Bkwmlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

With only a few days left in the year, I didn’t think I would have time to finish another book before the last day of the month. But as I was planning my January and February “to be read” lists yesterday, I got a bit anxious over the insane number of books I have lined up for those 2 months, so in a moment of panic, I decided to get a head start on one of the January releases on my list. In anticipation that I would likely be reading whichever book I chose through the new year break, I wanted something potentially light-hearted and fun, a relaxing read that wouldn’t require me to do a whole lot of unpacking. Scanning my lists, I came across Emma Lord’s sophomore novel You Have a Match and after reading the summary, I knew this would likely fit what I was looking for. I’m usually not much of a YA or romance reader and though I was aware of this author’s much beloved debut novel Tweet Cute (which was actually recommended to me a few times last year), I never got around to reading it, so going into this, her second book, I wasn’t too sure what to expect. It turns out this book was exactly what I needed at the moment – a cute, fun read that explores modern day sentiments (i.e. social media, adoption, LGBTQ relationships, complicated family dynamics, sibling rivalry, genetics and DNA testing, etc.) in a way that isn’t heavy-handed, which I definitely appreciated. Many reviews of the book mention the Parent Trap vibe of the story, which I completely agree with given the antics of the two sisters Abby and Savvy, though the story and characters also reminded me of other famous literary “sister” relationships such as Beezus and Ramona from the Beverly Cleary books (which I adored when I was a kid) and the Wakefield sisters from the Sweet Valley High series.

As for the summer camp setting, it definitely felt like a throwback to my childhood days of camping with schoolmates and Girl Scouts, something I haven’t done in decades, so it was fun to get to experience those memories again (even if it’s only briefly through a few short scenes). Reading this book actually made me nostalgic for those carefree days of youth, which isn’t a bad feeling to have right now, to be honest.

If you’re looking for a feel-good read with endearing characters and an engaging story, I would recommend picking this one up. I actually surprised myself by finishing this book in two sittings, with the unexpected result of now being able to add another book I enjoyed to my 2020 recap.

Received ARC from Wednesday Books via NetGalley

[Caitlin Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for fans of The Parent Trap! This is my first book by Emma Lord and I am ordering Tweet Cute immediately. Abby signs up for a DNA service only to shockingly discover that she has a secret older sister. Savannah is the opposite of Abby, a control freak who must always have everything in order. Abby follows Savannah to summer camp to discover who she ended up being put up for adoption.

You Have A Match is about family, friends and romance. It’s a sweet young adult novel with a summer camp backdrop. I am a sucker for a summer camp setting so this book was perfect for me. My favorite storyline was about the sisters and the way they were able to connect over the summer. The romance took a back seat in this novel but there was a cute slow burn romance between friends. I especially loved the satisfying ending! During her time at camp, Abby establishes strong friendships and really evolves as an individual. You Have a Match was filled with all the best things about summer camp in your teen years. I couldn’t stop smiling while reading this and highly recommend to fans of Jenny Han, Sarah Dessen and Jenn Bennett.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[taylor ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ · Rating 1 out of 5]

me thinking this was a romance 🤡
i was going to give it 3 stars but then i realized i didn’t really care about anything about this book.