BEGIN AGAIN

A destined-to-be romance hits a snag.

Andie Rose is no shirker—she doesn’t fear hard work, and she has ridiculous plans for achieving her goals. The first step is transferring from Little Fells Community College to competitive Blue Ridge State, where her boyfriend, Connor Whit, is a student. Andie is certain the two were made for each other. She will major in psychology and write a self-help guide for achieving happiness, which of course means she must first master it herself. Hoping to give Connor the surprise of his life, midyear freshman transfer Andie shows up at the university without telling him—only to discover that Connor has in fact transferred to Little Fells in an effort to surprise her. The couple decide to grin and bear it for a semester, and as Andie does her best to navigate this absurd situation, she finds comfort in the company of attractive but surly resident adviser Milo Flynn and a gig anonymously giving advice on the university’s long-standing pirate radio show. The premise references popular romantic tropes that will appeal to many readers. Unfortunately, the book is let down by thin characterization: Laser-focused Andie feels over-the-top and there’s no real friction, desire, or excitement between her and Milo. Without exciting narrative hooks to keep readers invested, the story fails to spark.

Contains all the right ingredients but doesn’t quite come together.