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The Revenge Pact

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Member Reviews

The Revenge Pact is an enemies to lovers plot with some twists and turns along the way.
Eva's situation requires her to get married and she thought she found love until she over hears things she wishes she didn't.
Ethan has been best friends with Joe since 6 years old. They go way back. But Ethan finds some things out involving Joe. Joe is also Eva's "finance". - This is where the Revenge Pact comes into play.
This story does talk quite a bit about cheating, which can be a trigger for some.
While, The Revenge Pact is a good book, there are some things along the way that readers may not like. There is foul language, strong sex scenes, plots to hurt others, and others actually getting hurt along the way. I don't feel there was much love between any of the characters besides having great sexual chemistry.
I would read more of Brooke Stanton's book because she did keep me intrigued, just waiting to find out what happens next.

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Wow! Talk about a book starter. I was not expecting Eva to find out minutes before she got married that her friend and soon to be husband slept with each other the night before in the first sentence of the book. I was hooked from that point determined to see how this all plays out. I finished the book in a few hours.

So Joe is a complete a-hole! First 3 chapters and we learn so much about him and his messed up ways. I felt so bad and sad and Eva.

Watching Eva determined to get her life back and take revenge was eye opening in so many ways for her. I enjoyed watching the light come back to her life.

Ethan did not want the wedding to happen in the first place and maybe he was right. Learning more about Ethan and him being there for Eva is exactly what they both needed.

While the book took us on a ride, I really enjoyed the I enjoyed the intervention and operation Ethan. I also laughed a lot during the book.

Thank you to NetGalley EARC! As always, my review is my opinion and thoughts.

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This one was a fast, fun read that I found enjoyable, but overall it wasn't my favorite. The plot lines were funny but a little bit messy. I felt that the characters motivations weren't always matching with their personalities or their actions.

Eva and Ethan were cute, but I felt like the smut scenes were awkward at times. Not the actual roleplaying plot itself, but the chemistry as well as the words used to describe genitalia. Please stop using words like cavern or heated rod.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

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I could see this book being turned into a limited series. It was light and funny and perfect to read poolside. I am glad Eva picked herself up and made Joe pay. I love the grumpy-sunshine trope between Ethan and Eva. It's really funny and the sex scenes are swoony.

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**ARC received via Netgalley - thank you! **

Spice: 4/5
Story: 3/5

This is my first book by this author. Firstly, this book is short (under 200 pages on my app), which I found too short to fully flesh out the characters and storyline and the love story especially. It was a quick, easy read with a LOT of smut and some charm for sure. It had some good banter which I love. I enjoy enemies to lovers as well as fake dating (does this qualify?) So the tropes are up my alley. I just wish it was longer to really expand on their falling for each other. BUT if you want easy, fast reading with some spice, it's for you! I enjoyed it enough and may look into this author more!

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If you like cheating in a book, then you’ll love this.

I was hoping the cheating aspect had more of a marriage of convenience. But the way I read their story, it didn’t feel that way. Yes, there was cheating on both sides, which made it slightly better. I enjoyed the writing style, and had a few laughs. But, in the end I had a hard time wrapping my head around any relationship forming like how Eva and Ethan’s did.

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"The Revenge Pact" by Brooke Stanton is a sizzling contemporary romance that takes readers on a thrilling journey of betrayal, revenge, and unexpected love. With its engaging characters, clever plot twists, and steamy chemistry, Stanton delivers a captivating story that will leave readers eagerly turning the pages.

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This book was great! I really enjoyed it. From the first page until the end, I enjoyed reading the story. I thought it was cute, fun and playful and it was a good pick me up book. The characters were relatable and the story line was super cute!

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Cute, funny, bingeable romance! I felt like there was a lot going on in this book, and there were a lot of time skips (two weeks went by multiple times, which was unnecessary). Loosely enemies-to-lovers with a little fake dating in there, leading to an entertaining plot with relatable characters. I do hate cheating and even though Eva found out her new husband was cheating first (and before the wedding), it doesn't give her permission to also cheat... but getting past that, Ethan was much better for Eva and treated her well. I thought the writing was good and sucked you right into the story!

Definitely a good pool or beach read with a happy ending! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! Review live on Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5609903055 - and StoryGraph.

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If I hadn't committed to reading an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review, I would not have read beyond the first chapter. Ultimately, of course, I did complete the novel, and I'm sorry to say that my opinion actually dropped as I read. Here are the Top Three reasons for my low rating:

1. I fundamentally object to the premise, which is built on the theme of cheating within relationships at every point. A bride, Eva, finds out on her sort-of-wedding day that her groom is cheating on her. She marries him anyway because she needs his cooperation to cheat the US government. She then teams up with his best pal, Ethan, who the groom had egregiously lied to in the past, which leads Ethan to agree to enter into a revenge pact and affair. Even the secondary characters all play roles in furthering the cruelty and deceit around which the plot revolves. I *might* have been able to get somewhat on board with things *if* the marriage had been purely one of convenience, but that is not how it was characterized.

2. The plot development is too superficial and character development is too weak to compensate for the problematic premise. All of my fundamental objections aside, as the novel progressed I was simply unconvinced that Eva and Ethan's relationship was solid enough by act three to survive her continued need for revenge. Both the solution to Eva's citizenship problem and the HEA epilogue felt forced and artificial.

3. The smutty scenes are cringey. As a general rule, I enjoy smut in my romance fiction, but the sex scenes in The Revenge Pact made me say, "Oh, my gosh..." for all the wrong reasons. This is most especially true for the scene in the hospital, which was just...no. And so many of the euphemisms (I mean, "sap," really?) and similies (too many bad ones to choose from) written into these scenes just landed all wrong for me.

While I can appreciate the effort it took for an author to write any novel all the way to publication, I can't recommend this title at all.

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⭐️3,5

A book that made me laugh, betrayals that made me almost tear up and a love between two main characters that was so sweet.

This book was good, I really liked the story and the plot in itself, but what I liked the most were the main characters, Eva and Ethan. They're so cute and belong together forever.

I LOVE the cheating trope if it's between the main characters, which this book has. Eva is married to Joe and cheats on him (after he cheats first) with Ethan, who is Joe's childhood best friend. I love reading this trope and I loved how it was done in this book. Though, maybe I would have liked more angst?

Eva is such an amazing character, I loved her a lot. I felt so sorry for her throughout the book. She didn't deserve what that happened to her, especially with her ex. All the things he said and did were just horrible. He was such an asshole, Ethan too. Even though I like him, I still haven't forgotten all the things he said about her before their relationship. I think, he didn't apologize enough for what he said. He misjudged her while not knowing her, which I really disliked. I forgive, but don't forget. I literally felt so hurt for Eva, the author wrote it in a way that made me feel the words, that have been said against Eva, as if they were said to me. I felt her pain. Rachel was the only real good friend character and I loved her so much.

I really loved Ethan, though he is considered as a "grumpy" guy, I don't think he's grumpy. He's such a sweet person, who shows his emotion. I love a main character who isn't afraid to show when he's sad, overwhelmed, happy, when he cries... I, especially, liked the moments we got between Ethan and his nephew. It was so freaking cute, I loved the hammock scene the most. I want to have a glimpse of him with his kids, if Eva and him ever decide to get.

I was so surprised to see how Ethan was still friends with Joe after what Joe did. I can understand that he still tries to stay friends, especially when you have known them since you were a child and their parents where like real parents to you, but if it were me, I wouldn't have been able to stay friends even if I had revenge in mind.

Something that kind of annoyed me when reading the book, was the fact that the author used "IRL" instead of writing "in real life". It wasn't that bad, because it wasn't regularly used. But, it is still something that irked me when seeing it.

I'm going to be honest, I don't really read smut. I tend to not really judge a book/author by how the smut has been written. For me, the plot, storyline and the characters are the most important thing, so I never mention how the smut scenes are. But, in this book the smut was a little cringe and funny and that's because of the words that the author decided to use to explain some *things*. Here are some examples:
“[..] filled my mouth with him, suctioning him like a vacuum.”
“Patience, grasshopper”
“[..] she sucked me like a Hoover.”
“I didn’t go gently into her night. I slammed my dick inside her cavern”
Reading those lines was just so funny, I couldn't take the whole moment seriously. It was entertaining to see what the author would use next, though.

I feel like there are too many time skips. They'll have a barbecue and the next chapter will say "it's been a few weeks since...", I don't really like that, a couple of days wouldn't have bothered me, but weeks are a little too much for me especially if there are multiple time skips.

At some point in the book, we have a scene where Ethan's ex, Jasmine, appears. She's mentioned throughout the book, but had not appeared until then. I was kind of scared when she came and was expecting the worse (I really hate ow/ex drama), but I was surprised, I actually really liked this scene. I really like Jasmine. From the little interaction there was, she seems like a really sweet person who didn't who she was and who she wanted to be and was able to find herself. I think it was an amazing and needed scene and I'm actually glad we had a "non-toxic" moment between the two exes, lol.

Overall, I really liked the story, the plot and the characters. It was an entertaining read and I would recommend this book to someone who wants to read a fun story, but with little bits of emotional stuff. I'm glad I got this ARC.

This review will also be posted on Goodreads on June 10.

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This book was an unexpected surprise. I loved it. The main character, Eva, is the independent, determined girl that is going to great lengths to achieve what she wants. Her mind games come from a place of hurt and vulnerability and the twists and turns in her plans are what makes this book a fun read. Ethan has a difficult background which adds to his humanity. Eva’s childhood was marked by her father always leaving, which makes her feel the betrayal more than others. The spice was just right and it didn’t overshadow the main storyline. I also enjoyed the real issues presented in this book: the green card and immigration. This was the reason Eva was willing to do anything to be able to receive the status while also getting her revenge on the one that hurt her the most. I would have liked to have read more about Ethan and his feelings. I believe that Eva’s storyline was well written and well presented but I do believe that Ethan’s was lacking at times. I would have loved to know what he was thinking when he told Joe he shouldn’t marry Eva, what he was feeling when his father came to visit. What I love about his part was the meeting with Jasmine. She came to give him closure to be able to accept Eva and evolve as a person.

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3.5 stars and a read that pulled me out of my reading slump? YES PLEASE

While in the middle of what is supposed to be the best day of her life Eva finds out her husband has been cheating on her. Obviously devastated, she still has no choice but to go through with the wedding because unbeknownst to her family and friends they are already married for the sake of Eva's visa.

Eva does the only thing she knows to do and comes up with a plan for revenge that includes Joe's best friend Ethan. Ethan who up until very recently didn't even like Eva much. While working toward revenge these two discover there may be more than that drawing them together.

I really enjoyed this read, it was quick and easy to get through and honestly pretty funny during portions. It pulled me right out of my reading slump and just in time for summer.

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Thank you for allowing me to read this book early. Unfortunately this title was not for me. I thought the amount of cheating was a lot and didn’t enjoy reading that aspect in order to bring the two main characters together.

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A refreshingly surprising journey of healing and empowerment (4.2⭐)

Alright, so let's talk about The Revenge Pact. This book is unlike anything I've ever read before, and boy, did it take me by surprise in the best possible way.

First off, our main character is in her twenties and obsessed with organizing everything using spreadsheets. I mean, I wish that was that organized! But then, plot twist: she finds out her fiancée, and later husband, has been cheating on her. Ouch. But instead of wallowing in despair, she hatches this elaborate plan to get back at him. And let me tell you, it's a wild ride with unexpected twists and turns. If "revenge fun" isn't a genre, it should be.

Now, let's talk about the spice level. Yep, it's there, and it caught me off guard. But you know what? It worked. It added an exciting edge to the story that kept me hooked.

What I loved most about this book is that I never knew how it was going to end. The author kept me guessing until the very last page. And when it finally concluded, I couldn't have been more satisfied. It tied everything together in a way that left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

In a nutshell, The Revenge Pact is not just about revenge. It's about growth, finding yourself, and realizing that you can stand on your own. This book had me laughing, swooning, and rooting for the protagonist as she took charge of her life (and love).

So, if you're looking for a unique and entertaining read that will keep you on your toes and leave you feeling inspired, give The Revenge Pact a go!

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I loved this!

I always like a good fake dating turns into romance, and though I dislike cheating as a trope, so did the main characters (lol), so it was fun to see revenge on a cheater.

Ethan honestly sounds like my dream boyfriend as well, he is so kind and caring, but also funny and wears fun shirts. I'm also quite sure that he's hot.

This book was very easy to read as well, I managed to finish it in one day even. Overall a nice book, and I think it would also be a nice palate cleanser!

Thank you to both net galley, and the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
(
i will also be posting a review on my instagram https://www.instagram.com/lunarbookshelves/ on the 18th of june!

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t was such a cute and fun read! The story follows Eva Hart, who finds out on her wedding day that her husband Joe is cheating on her with his ex-girlfriend. To make matters worse, Eva can't leave Joe because she would lose her visa. So, what does she do? She makes a plan to get revenge! And who does she team up with? None other than Joe's best friend Ethan.

Let me tell you, there's a lot going on in this book. But it's all so hilarious and entertaining. I mean, Joe's best friend never wanted him to marry Eva in the first place because he thought she was using him. And the revenge plot that Eva comes up with? Let's just say it leads to some pretty hilarious results.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's a great mix of romance, comedy, and revenge. And of course, there's a happy ever after. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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This is the story of Eva and Ethan, who initially dislike each other but realise that there is more to their relationship than hatred. The novel opens at Eva's wedding to Joe, where she overhears that he's been sleeping with his ex over the last few months. She doesn't want to go through with the wedding but unfortunately they eloped months prior and she needs the marriage in order to maintain her visa to stay in the US instead of returning to Canada. She barely makes it through the wedding and decides afterwards that all she wants is revenge and to get her green card - then she'll divorce Joe.
Similarly, Ethan wants revenge as Joe slept with his ex. Together Ethan and Eva plan to wreak havoc on Joe's life but their shenanigans result in both realising there is more to their relationship.
I enjoyed this books and the budding romance between the two but it felt very quick with little plot or character development and going from hate to love in a few pages. It also tied up very quickly despite Joe and Eva both behaving appallingly. In the end it felt as though Eva was just as bad as Joe and I didn't feel very sorry for her. The steamy scenes were well written but for anyone who doesn't like cheating in books would not enjoy this novel.

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Solid 4! It was a wild but fun ride. I like the characterization and pacing in this book, I was invested in the end game!

Some of the dialogue and adult scenes were cringe and at one point the plot was a little convoluted but I was able to dove back in and just enjoy it.

Overall definitely worth picking up!

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Well, this was just amazing.

After getting approved to review this book I downloaded the galley and went right into it. I did not come up for air in between and finished the entire book in an afternoon!

When Eva discovers her husband is cheating on her on her wedding day, she starts plotting a way to get revenge on him. When Ethan confesses he'd like to help, a plot is born: a revenge affair! But can they make it work without falling for each other?

I loved the way Eva and Ethan were portrayed as complete opposites. Eva being the planner-obsessed, wants-everything-on-a-schedule character and Ethan being the freewheeling, let's-see-how-the-evening-goes character. And we all know that opposites attract! They seem to be hating (though even that seems to harsh a term) each other at the beginning of the book but slowly grow closer together as Eva starts to plot her revenge.

Through the comfortably written dual POV we learn how both Eva and Ethan are experiencing their revenge plot, what motivates them both and how soon either of them are catching feelings. And it's great! I wouldn't say I'd immediately choose an affair to get revenge, but in the book it 100% works!

And I haven't even mentioned the spice! The book carries a very entertaining plot, but if you're only here for the smut (and I wouldn't blame you), you won't be disappointed!

All in all, an amazing read and I can't wait to discover any other books by this author!

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