Review: YOU HAVE A MATCH by Emma Lord

Review:  YOU HAVE A MATCH by Emma LordYou Have a Match by Emma Lord
four-stars
Published by Wednesday Books on January 12, 2021
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 320
Source: Netgalley
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FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emma Lord’s new YA contemporary, You Have a Match, follows 16-year-old Abby Day. When Abby agrees to take a DNA test, alongside her two best friends, Connie and Leo, she thinks she’s just doing it for moral support because Leo is adopted and would like to know more about his biological family.  What Abby doesn’t count on is that taking that simple little test will turn her entire life upside down when it connects her to an older sister named Savannah (“Savvy”) she never even knew existed.

Abby has no idea what to do with this information, but then Savvy reaches out to her and wants to meet. After an initial meeting where Abby ends up with more questions than answers, she agrees to meet up with Savvy at summer camp so they can really get to the bottom of why Abby’s parents gave up Savvy for adoption.  Add Leo, who Abby has some awkward more-than-friends feelings for, to the mix because he also attends the same summer camp and you’ve got a recipe for an entertaining and cute read with lots of potential for emotions to run high.

The relationship between Abby and Savvy was the biggest highlight of the story for me.  Abby is a born risk taker, who tends to act first and think about it later. She’s also a budding photographer who inherited her love of photography from her grandfather who passed away recently. Abby has been struggling a bit with her grief since his passing, both in her personal life and academically.  In contrast, Savvy comes across as little Miss Perfect. She’s a social media influencer who focuses on healthy living.  Her Instagram feed is filled with yoga, meditation, healthy eating, etc.  Savvy wants everything in her life to be picture perfect so Abby’s act first, think later, rules are optional philosophy does not sit well with her.

These two are such polar opposites that it’s hard to believe that they could possibly be sisters, but I really loved watching their relationship progress the more time they spend together.  There are plenty of bumps in the road as the two of them constantly butt heads over pretty much everything, but the relationship growth comes across as very authentic and I liked that both sisters learned a lot and grew as a result of the challenges they encountered and mistakes they made along the way.

I also loved the blend of family, friendships, sisterhood, and romance, along with the summer camp setting. In addition to the sibling relationship, there’s also the mystery of why Abby’s parents gave up Savvy for adoption and then promptly had Abby a year and a half later.  Getting to the bottom of that mystery kept me turning the pages, as did wanting to see Abby sort through her feelings for Leo.  Leo is such a sweetheart so I was 100% invested in Abby being brave enough to take a chance on him.

I really enjoyed reading You Have a Match.  It’s a fun and quick read, but also just one of those stories that has a little something for everyone and that will leave you with a contented smile on your face.

four-stars

About Emma Lord

Emma Lord is the author of TWEET CUTE and upcoming YOU HAVE A MATCH, and a digital media editor 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.

18 replies
  1. Tanya @ Girl Plus Books
    Tanya @ Girl Plus Books says:

    This sounds like such a sweet YA contemporary. I’ve never read anything by Lord but have seen loads of rave reviews for her books. I can imagine learning of a sibling would definitely throw a wrench into your life. And them being so opposite is additional conflict. Leo sounds like a total sweetheart. 🙂

  2. Sam@wlabb
    Sam@wlabb says:

    A sisterhood story is always a welcome treat, and I thought this one was fun. What I really appreciate (about both Lord’s books) is that jump ahead epilogue. They are the best.

    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:

      Right? That was such a huge draw for me as I was reading. I wanted so badly to know why they gave up a child only to have another so soon afterwards.

  3. Literary Feline
    Literary Feline says:

    This sounds like a wonderful story! Perfect for these stressful times.

    My great aunt discovered a sibling through a DNA test a few years ago. She had been one of the orphan train children, separated from her siblings when she was very young and adopted by my great grandparents.

  4. verushka
    verushka says:

    Abby and Savvy sound like quite the pair of opposites, but in the best way. I’d like to see their relationship in this novel.

    • Suzanne
      Suzanne says:

      At this camp, it seemed to be a mix of ages, although the older kids had more important roles to play. Leo was a cook, and Savvy was technically a counselor.

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