I have very mixed feelings about this read. Emma Lord does a good job creating generally likeable characters and a story that works, despite how far fetched it may seem. But it really did kill me that June was so self destructive as a character for most of the book. Yes, I get growing up and growing into yourself through adversity, but there was a point at which I had to just step back and focus on Levi because she irked me with how she was basically so caught up in her own drama and downward spiral that she couldn't even see that her brother was missing her and that Levi cared about her. Gah!

I get wanting to honour her sister's memory with the tea shop, but obviously she was also stuck in a cycle of letting other people call the shots that she couldn't move the business into solvency because she couldn't see past the instructions her dead sister left her.

I did, however, like that Levi and June had a history, that they came together as a couple as friends (or former friends finding their way back to friendship) first, and that the orchestrated fake relationship was founded on something that existed before. And by the time things started to really go south for June, I was definitely invested in her as a character, flaws and all, enough to want to kick people on her behalf.

Sana was by far the most entertaining character in the book, and I have to admit I was a bit underwhelmed by what she ended up doing to break into her dream job. But I loved her vibe. And Nancy was such a nice person that I couldn't be mad when she threatened June with eviction.

All in all, not my favourite Lord book. And definitely still a fun beach read.

4.25★

The Break-Up Pact is such a fun and sizzling take on the fake dating trope. These characters and their emotions felt so real, I was beyond blown away by Emma Lord’s writing! This is my first read by her and it definitely will not be my last. The issues that the characters go through really resonated with me and I felt a strong connection to June.

Tropes: fake dating, childhood friends to lovers, small beach town, second chance romance

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

I was in such a bad reading slump, reading the first page of several promising books but none of them kept my attention. I picked this one up, and before I knew it I was in chapter 2. I loved it sooo much! That first page hooked me, and I just kept going, finishing it in one day.
So good!

Read if you like….
-unrequited
-second chances
-great friend group
-small town

Closed door mod: skip ch 15

I will read anything Emma Lord writes! The cover is so adorable i love the colors.

I enjoyed the book and it was just great character build and of course the writing was awesome!

The characters i just fell in love with and just wanted more of the book. Great writing, great author, great read!

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

this was cute but it didn't really do anything for me. i didn't feel much for any of the characters and the story just didn't grab me, which is unusual because i normally adore fake dating. the story also focused a lot on social media which kind of put me off. the ending was also kinda rushed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The Break Up pact reminded me a lot of one of my all time favorite books, The People We Meet on Vacation. Emma Lord did a fabulous job creating chemistry and banter between Levi and June. By the end of the book I felt like I knew the characters and the town they lived in. While I didn’t love the viral social media element of the initial storyline and thought it wasn’t super realistic, I was willing to overlook that because I liked the characters and the chemistry between them so much. This was a great book and I hope to read more of Emma Lord! Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Gosh, I love Emma Lord! I have truly enjoyed all of her books and this one was no exception- it even kept my attention on a four hour flight with lots of turbulence (and I am a nervous traveler!).

The Plot: June Hart has had a rough couple of years. After her sister passed away unexpectedly, June has taken over her tea shop and is doing her best to keep it afloat. Not only that, but her recent break up went viral with a meme of her crying face making her reluctantly famous. Interestingly enough, her childhood friend and crush, Levi Shaw, has also been recently and virally dumped. So it makes sense for both of them to start “fake dating” as they work to leave the past behind and show up their exes.

I will be honest and say that I’m not a fan of the fake dating trope, only because it is used so VERY often. But Lord’s interesting characters, moments of humor, and well- written chemistry are enough to make the trope feel fresh. I also thought that her portrayal of grief felt authentic and helped me see myself in her characters. This is a delightful read that I found hard to put down, and I am grateful to the author and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy!

Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy. I love friends to lovers. I am looking forward to many more books by Lord. I am also craving some scones and great tea.

This was my first time reading anything from Emma Lord and I’m a fan now for sure. I loved the character development and fake dating is becoming my favorite trope ever. I like that it wasn’t smooth sailing to the happy ending because it allowed us a more full view of their lives and made it more realistic. Would definitely read again.

Thank you Net Gally for giving me this arc.

Wow! This book is the literal definition of laugh out loud funny. All the dialogue was so funny, the romance was there too. And the female friendships and representation MUAH.

4/5 stars!

I completely loved this book! I could not put it down. It made me laugh out loud at times, but also dealt with some serious themes. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and I feel like this book did it really well.

It was the perfect combination of humor and heart. June and Levi were relatable, well developed characters.

This was my first Emma Lord book and will definitely not be my last!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins for the ARC in exchange for my review.

This was such a refreshing take on fake dating. Emma Lord made June so refreshing to be wary instead of falling victim to insta-love. I enjoyed the backstory between June and Levi and I found myself rooting for them every step of the way.
I too would have loved to see more Karma happen to Kelly and Griffen, the true villains of the story. Overall I thoroughly enjoy this book and I definitely recommend it.

“The Break-Up Pact” is exactly what you’d expect and want out of a romance book. A reliable friends-to-lovers trope with the right amount of spice. June and Levi are both adorable from beginning to end, and their terrible exes make them even more relatable (we all have at least one). I wish there was a little more investment into the supporting characters, Sana, Matteo, and Dylan, because I would have loved more time getting to know them, but overall it was a very enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

This was a really fun story and one that had me cheering on the main characters. It's a story of love, loss, friendship, and coming home. This is a great beach read and one that will make you feel all the feels.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for advance access to this digital copy.

The main character is fighting for someone else’s dream of running a scone shop that’s going downhill. She needs to let go and move on. I stopped after chapter 1 (4%). I wasn’t personally in the mood, but the writing is readable and the premise seems charming. Three to four stars for the target audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

This book was the ultimate beach read! Totally got hooked on the main characters and breezed through the story. It's about two childhood friends who team up to fake a relationship to get back at their exes. Super fun, heartwarming, and just an all-around happy read. Definitely recommend if you're looking for something light and easy!

This was a very enjoyable story about June and Levi, childhood friends who are thrown together in a weird fake relationship after both being dumped pretty publicly. It did drag a bit in the middle, but was otherwise a nice read.

This was a story about June who gets dumped by her boyfriend of 10 years. Her childhood friend, Levi, is back in town and also newly single. They hatch a plan to fake-date to get back at their ex’s and end up truly falling for each other.

3.5 stars (rounded up)

I liked Levi and June and the way their relationship grew (it was cute, and Levi is an amazing cinnamon roll lead), but at the same time, there was also a part of me that wanted more. Not more stuff happening (there was a lot already crammed in with the back story/side plots) but more of something new. It was a quite formulaic second chance romance, and given I also just read this author's YA second chance romance, it felt like just the aged up version of that story.

So... cute and fun, just nothing revolutionary.

Emma Lord’s first foray into Adult fiction brings all her signature charm and heart. While her books feature romance, our characters often go on their own growth journey throughout the book, and this one is no exception. One of my favorite aspects of this book was the absolutely spot on feelings of grief and moving forward after loss.