Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Break-Up Pact is a book about two ex-best friends who both recently had their break-ups go viral and decide to fake date to drum up business for June’s shop and make Levi’s ex realize what she’s missing. I was very excited about this book as I love fake dating and second chance romance tropes. However, I feel the cover and plot description are a bit misleading. I was expecting a light-hearted, fun, summer romance when, in fact, this book focuses on two characters who are struggling with grief and regret and are grappling with their careers.

During the first half of the book, I had a hard time connecting to the main characters as I didn’t feel they had much chemistry or motivation to be fake dating. In the second half, I felt more connected to the characters but there were so many side plots it was distracting. Besides fake dating the main characters are also dealing with the consequences of going viral videos, helping June’s brother and his fiance plan their wedding, trying to save June’s business, and Levi’s uncertainty about changing his career. Although this book dealt with hard topics and had a spicy scene the writing felt a bit YA to me.

Overall, I don’t think this book was a good fit for me. However, I would recommend it to people who like romances that are a bit more intense and deal with heavier topics and people who like their romances to have other plotlines running throughout that are not related to the romance. I think this book could also be a good first adult romance for someone who is looking to transition away from YA romance into adult romance. One thing I appreciated was how the author was able to keep up the tension and stakes throughout the book without having a cliched third-act breakup.

This book was a fun romance to read. Everyone can relate to reminiscing of your first love. Unfortunately, timing was not in the stars initially for June and Levi. Fast forward 10 years, everything has changed. A very dramatic social media break up leads to a series of "fake" dates to get revenge. What to do you do when all those old feeling bubble to the surface... you'll have to read and find out!

The description sounded so fun- two former best friends who haven't spoken in years meet up again one summer. June and Levi each suffer a viral break up and decide to fake date in order to get revenge on their exes. Unfortunately, it just wasn't all that I hoped it would be. The chemistry was not convincing and the storyline didn't move very quickly.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

I really liked this story! June and Levi have a fun and bittersweet reunion. their mutual public breakups bringing them together for a "revenge ex" story was a unique, interesting, and fun plot to read! I really liked their chemistry with each other, having a past that ties them together, for bettor or worse. they both have known grief and heartache in life and I liked how it was handled throughout the story. I wish there had been better communication between June and Levi during the years they spent apart-- it always bugs me when immaturity of teenagers leads to years of silence between two people who have a deep friendship and that was the case here. however, I understood the various reasons life got in the way of an earlier reconciliation between the two. I loved seeing them form a truly strong connection to finally have their happily ever after together. overall it is a fun, unique, touching, and at times, bittersweet story. thank you for the arc!!!

The premise of this book really sounds amazing, but I just don't think it was pulled off well enough for it to become a go-to recommendation for romance fans.

Emma Lord is masterful at writing young adult romances, and I feel like it shows in this novel. It tried to be adult with adult characters and adult plots and adult romantic scenes, but it still felt juvenile somehow.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This starts out slow but once the story picks up I couldn’t stop reading. great spin on childhood friends to lover.

This was absolutely adorable! The author did a wonderful job of capturing the emotion and beauty in this story without being overly dramatic or wordy. It came out absolutely perfect and I enjoyed this story immensely! Can’t wait to read more from her, she rocked this!

To be honest this book was a slow start for me but picked up about a third of the way through. I loved reading about Levi and June’s past and what they had before while they day dreamed of days long ago. Overall 3/5 cause I did get a little bored toward the end but definitely a light, flirty, and fun read.

With a fake dating trope, The Break-Up Pact offers a second chance at love between two childhood best friends. Throw in the fact that they’ve been thrust into the viral social spotlight after each were brutally dumped from their significant others, their lives are complicated. Adding to the already tense situation, both are still emotionally recovering from the loss of June’s sister, Annie. #emotionaloverload 🤯

While the premise of this book had all the makings of a solid romantic comedy beach read, the banter and tension between the FMC and MMC fell short, which made connecting with the romance a struggle. Also, the humor just wasn’t there for me. It was over descriptive like the author was trying very forcefully to be funny. 🥴 Although a slow start, the book does pick up in the middle and ends up being a quick read. It overall missed the mark for me, but I do think there’s potential with the right audience.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was my first Emma Lord book. I thought it was an overall cute read. I'll admit, at first I was a little turned off by the synopsis because of the mentions of TikTok and social media. The Break-Up Pact turned out to be a lot deeper than I anticipated. The main character, June, is coping with the death of her sister, Annie. She and Levi have a deep relationship from the past, so it almost feels like a second-chance romance. It did get a little cheesy at times, but the ending was very sweet.

I was excited to read this book, and it did not disappoint! This sweet romance included childhood friends, fake dating, and second chances. I enjoyed watching June and Levi's story unfold as their relationship developed. The insecurities and quirks, as well as growth throughout the book, make these characters relatable. The secondary characters provided a great cast with humorous moments and more scheming. The adorable tea shop on the beach makes it a perfect beach read!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with this digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book is about two former bffs- Levi and June- who find themselves in similar circumstances following breakups with their significant others. The two enter into a pact to pretend to date to get redemption from their individual public breakups. The pact rekindles an old unspoken flame and their story is heartwarming with a side of humor. I enjoyed the characters in this book and would read other titles from this author!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review..

I enjoyed parts of this book, there were some cute moments and I found the cover stunning. I did struggle a little bit with their chemistry and didn’t love the entire book. I would still recommend to the right person

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Griffin for the eARC. This book included some of my favorite tropes: fake dating, revenge, and childhood friends to lovers. I was so excited to read it with those tropes in mind as I love a good romcom.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t a fan of the characters, particularly Levi and his behavior and the lack of response from the FMC. He was obsessive about his ex and even basically justified her cheating? What was going on there. I couldn’t get into this after that and even though I finished the book I wasn’t invested. This wasn’t my cup of tea.

Now this was a cute dazzling edible little romance !!

"I tuck the feeling into my heart and step out into the sweet summer air. For the first time in a long time ,I don't dread the mountain of work ahead of me. For the first time in a long time, I see what might be on the other side of it , and love every inch of the view"

The Break-Up Pact is a slow burn romance with such likeable characters that will charm you off your feet.

June has just broken up with Griffin and is trying to keep afloat her sister Annie who had recently passed away cafe the Tea Tide which serves delectable scones !

Meanwhile Levi has just gone through a terrible break-up and he finds himself back in Benson Beach where his long time school friend June resides.

June and Levi get the notion from their friend Sana to stage a "Revenge of the Ex's" exploiting photos all over social media and what transpires next is a delightful little cat and mouse chase romance .

The Break-Up Pact is the perfect palate cleanser which is the ideal read for any summer beach setting or vacation rendezvous !

Fans of Hallmark settings , readers of Emily Henry and Christina Lauren will gobble The Break-Up Pact up!

SO GOOD!!! 4 stars!!

The Break-Up Pact is truly such a fun and cute but real story. The premise of the book that initiates the fake dating was so much fun to read and made me stay invested, while simultaneously the relationship dynamics between Levi and June was so real and deep. The Break-Up Pact is the perfect easy read set in the summer that will put a smile on your face! Emma Lord has a way of writing funny and adorable characters that she puts in real life situations that create intrapersonal and interpersonal conflict, definitely check out her other books!

This book has everything: fake dating, an adorable tea shop, a second chance romance, and a proper appreciation for a man being elbow deep in scone dough. But really, I loved so much about this book. The main characters, June and Levi, are both precious humans who clearly feel so much for each other. From their first interaction there is so much clear longing and angst, but it takes a fake dating ploy (one of my favorite tropes) for them to finally explore their feelings and the breakdown of their friendship in high school. The book also does a phenomenal job of exploring the different ways grief can change a person. June and Levi are both reeling from the loss of June's sister Annie, and they explore those feelings in such messy, realistically human ways. This book was so tender and funny, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves the second chance romance trope. Thank you to NetGalley, Emma Lord, and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Break-Up Pact is a sweet romance centered around grief and moving on after loss. Annie's death still deeply effects June and Levi and their everyday decisions. Without ever meeting her on page, you can feel the shape of where Annie should be. Even though this book deals with some heavy subject matter, it is focused on healing.

June and Levi are very cute together. I loved all of the side characters and wish we'd gotten a little more of them, because I was not ready to goodbye to Benson Beach.

I'm looking forward to picking up a physical copy. The Break-Up Pact is definitely going to be a book I reread when I need something emotional but sweet.

I am not so sure that Emma Lord and I are meant to be compatible. Something about the writing style makes me want to love it, but it never winds up working in my favor.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord. This book gave me time to really feel like a part of Benson Beach and to see the characters develop. I wish I could visit Tea Tide in real life!