Thanks to the publisher, NetGalley and Emma Lord for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is a second-chance romance, and a friends to strangers to lovers mix. I was hoping The Break-Up Pact' by Emma Lord would be fun, angsty yet easy read. While I enjoyed the novel, it was nothing too groundbreaking, but not disappointing either.

The book revolves around June and Levi, two high school friends whose messy breakups become social media sensations. When a rumour spreads online suggesting they're a couple, they decide to go along with it for their own reasons, leading to a rekindling of old feelings. I always like a good second-chance romance - although here their feelings relating to when they were in high school weren't really explored or shown to the reader which takes away from the reader really understanding each character. I was rooting for them but also didn't really care at a certain point as I didn't understand their attraction towards each other, apart from their shared history.

If you're in the mood for a light-hearted second chance romance with a small beach town setting, "The Break-Up Pact" would be right up your alley.

As a huge fan of Emma Lord’s YA books I was thrilled to see she was writing an adult romance. And it did not disappoint! The Break-Up Pact was such a fun, second chance romance full of heart, humor, and all of the quirkiness you’d expect from one of Emma’s novels.

I’m such a sucker for fake dating and thought it was done so well here. This is a second chance romance between childhood friends June and Levi. It’s been years since they’ve talked to each other, but when they both go viral for being dumped, they decide to turn this into a mutually beneficial fake romance. There’s a lot of history between the pair, so it’s not long before they’re not sure what’s fake and what’s real. Even with all the time that has passed they’re still able to slip into their old relationship easily. While this was set entirely in the present, I felt readers get enough memories to make their relationship feel legitimate.

Even though I liked the relationship between June and Levi, I think my favorite part of The Break-Up Pact was the beach town it was set in and all of the inhabitants. The author really brought Benson Bay to life and I felt like I was there. All of the secondary characters were fleshed out and I loved seeing June reconnect with her brother and friends from high school.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a review copy.

The Break-Up Pact is YA bestselling author Emma Lord’s newest romance for adults. It’s a second chance, fake-relationship romance with plenty of steam.

10 years ago June and Levi were teenage best friends. Now they are living very separate lives, unhappy and humiliated after public break-ups. When a photo of them together causes people to believe they are a couple, they lean into it and pretend to date. Levi is hoping this will cause his ex to come running back to him, while June is expecting the publicity to increase business at her tea shop. Naturally they fall in love while fake-dating, but is it real and will it last?

I enjoyed reading The Break-Up Pact although it packs more heat than I personally prefer. What happened to both June and Levi is cringe-worthy, so when they run into each other, it seems like a miracle. The snowballing lies remind me of my favorite romcom movies. There are funny scenes and some angst, as the reader waits on them to figure things out. The Break-Up Pact is a great beach read.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was so excited to read this book because I love Emma Lord’s books and they always drag me out of my reading slumps. This book definitely accomplished that. I could not put it down once I started reading it. I felt like both June and Levi were really three dimensional characters and I liked that there was a more serious tone while still having a lot of fun elements. I do think that they went from not talking for pretty much a decade to dating at an unrealistic pace but to be honest, I don’t necessarily need realistic in romance novels. I was also so excited to be able to read Emma Lords Adult Fiction debut. I love her young adult books but reading about characters my age is always much more fun. I definitely cried throughout the book but I did like how it ended because it felt like June and Levi would be a book couple who could actually survive since the relationship was built on so much trust. I can’t wait to read more of her books whether they are YA or Adult fiction.

Thank you to Emma Lord, the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5

I went back and forth a lot while reading this on whether I was enjoying it. There would be some great sections where I was loving the characters and their banter back and forth, then we'd have a section where everything that I didn't like was being brought up all at once. I really struggled with Levi's original want to be back with his cheating ex-fiancee. And with the naivety that June seemed to have in regards to how manipulative her ex had proven to be. i also think that the original/past miscommunication was a bit frustrating. I get that they were young but both of June's siblings kept up a friendship with Levi for a while and no one tried to heal the friendship or correct the misunderstanding. A small kind of weird complaint I also had was about June's shop landlord? It just seemed so weird/wild to me that she was so adamant about Tea Tide being "a part of the community" but then proceeded to rent out the space for a year before welcoming Tea Tide back afterwards. That seemed pretty illogical.

Overall I did really enjoy Lord's writing style and I've heard better things about some of her YAs so I'll be reading more from her. I think this Adult Debut just felt a bit too much like a debut when I expected more from her. I think the characters had a strong base but just needed a little something extra to get me fully behind it all.

✩ 3.5/5
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.
In The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord, June Hart becomes an overnight sensation as the viral “crying girl” meme after her breakup with long-term boyfriend Griffin is aired live on national television. Beyond TikTok For You pages and Twitter feeds, June is the owner of the Tea Tide, a charming yet struggling beachside café. When June is unexpectedly reunited with her high school best friend Levi—who is also famous for his own viral breakup—she’s forced to confront past feelings, craft a believable fake relationship with Levi, and figure out how to save her tea shop from closing for good.
If I had to sum up The Break-Up Pact in more than a few words, it would be a “silly romantic comedy that you’d watch/read and think, ‘Yeah, that was good. What’s next?’” I didn’t feel particularly attached to any of the characters, as they all felt like typical romance book archetypes. Yes, that’s often the point, but they should still feel like real people. The character arcs of Levi and June, as well as the tropes used, felt drawn out. Even though the book wasn’t long, I genuinely felt it could have been shorter. For most of the story, I was practically shouting, “Just get together already and end it!”
This book was my first introduction to Emma Lord, who has earned a solid reputation in the YA romance genre. I’m hoping her other works live up to the expectations she’s set, as I did enjoy the quippiness of her writing. Anyone who loves a fun and easy read would likely enjoy this book. For me, it was just “meh,” which isn’t necessarily good or bad.
Side note: The blueberry and sriracha scone is diabolical and June deserves to be in prison for that.

Following a break up that went viral June has become a meme and has nosy tourists flocking to her beachside tea shop. A tea shop that she’s been trying to keep afloat by herself since her sister’s death. June is at a loss of how to keep the tea shop moving forward until an opportunity presents itself in the form of Levi, her best friend who she hasn’t spoken to in ten years. Levi has recently gone through the same viral break up situation and can relate to June. Together they come up with a plan to fake date in order to help June get back in her feet with the tea shop. Their ‘celebrity’ status will have customers lining up at the door to get a glimpse of ‘the Revenge Exes’. Fake dating never goes as planned and this time around is no exception. Will Levi and June be able to make it out of this with their friendship in tact? Or will their friendship turn into something more?

I was drawn in by the cover of this book and was ready for this fun romance. It didn’t disappoint. I enjoy a good friends to lovers romance and fake dating is always fun, even though we always know it’s not going to go as planned. I liked June and Levi together and enjoyed finding out about their pasts together. The romance was sweet and perfect for a fun summer romance read. Each character had their own baggage and grief that needed to be sorted through and I think this added a lot to the story and their relationship. I enjoyed the main characters, but I really want to know more about the side characters and see their own stories play out. I know this isn’t a series, but I did grow attached to some of the side characters and wish I could see how their lives unfold. Overall this was a fun, lighthearted summer read that is great for romance fans!

“It isn’t the love that scares me. It’s what might happen to it.”

Two best friends who haven’t spoken in a decade pretend to date after their recent viral break-ups. What could go wrong?!

This was such a sweet slow-burn romance that also had some heavy hitting topics weaved throughout, giving the story some depth.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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

I really wanted to like this book, but there were a lot of glaring issues that I couldn't overlook.

The first issue being the pacing. There was absolutely no development of characters between seeing each other after ten years and them jumping into a fake relationship with each other. It was like all of that hurt and anger was just forgotten in a few pages and they were friends again. Additionally, one of the characters was still holding out for their ex, but then almost immediately had feelings for the other character. Again, the lack of development made these transitions feel jarring.

The second issue - holy miscommunication Batman! It is nothing but miscommunication between the two leads going all the way back to when they were teenagers. If they just talked to each other instead of ignoring each other for ten years, this would have been a very different book.

Not my favorite, by any means.

3.5 ⭐️

this was such a cute story!! June and Levi (former childhood friends) find their lives turned upside down in simultaneous viral breakups with their partners. They both end up in their hometown and devise a plan to fake date to help each other out, while messing with their ex’s heads. They haven’t stayed in contact in a decade and the story is about re-connecting as friends, discovering new things about each other, and having those old high school feelings for each other resurface.

I thought this was so cute! June and Levi are both easy to love characters and the story played out like a real life rom-com (she literally owns a tea shop & he’s a writer… I mean cmonnnnnnn) however, I found the pacing to be a bit off at times & I wanted a bit more from both June and Levi at the end. it feels like it all happens very slowly & then suddenly all at once! I did still overall enjoy it :)

Thank you NetGalley, Emma Lord, and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a quick, cute and engaging read. This read definitely kept my attention with the viral break ups of the main characters, their revenge fake dating and the happenings of the main characters tea and scone shop. I also enjoyed getting to learn about the main characters history together and also their friendships with the side characters.

This was a strong first foray into adult romance for Emma Lord. I thought it had some slow moments, but it was a sweet second chance romance.

June and Levi are both victims of brutal, public breakups. In order to take back their dignity and get back at their exes they decide to fake date. Things get interesting when old feelings resurface between these two.

This was one of the best fake dating situations that I've ever read. It felt believable. I liked June and Levi together. They were working through a lot of separate issues, and I enjoyed how they challenged and supported each other. I also appreciated the look at grief and the growth that stems from those circumstances that the book explored. If I had a criticism it would be that the book felt a little slow at times. It kind of just meandered along, but in a lyrical, romantic way.

I would say this book is a mixture of Kate Clayborn and Emily Henry. It has vibes of both of those authors. I haven't loved Emma Lord's latest YA rom-coms, but I would read more from her at the adult level.

Thank you to NetGalley and Griffin for the e-book in exchange for my honest review.

3.75⭐️ but rounding up

To be honest this had a very slow start, but to my core I am a romcom lover so I was determined to power through and I’m glad I did! By the 50% mark I was all in and really enjoyed it! To me, this was a very sweet introduction into Emma Lord & her adult contemporary romance. If you enjoy a rom com, fake dating, &/or second chance lovers, this is a fun beach read. Thank you so much to netgalley + the publisher St Martin’s press for my very first ARC.

June, currently running her late sister’s tea shop in her beachy hometown, has become an internet meme after her social media influencer boyfriend broke up with her on tv and she cried. Levi, her childhood best friend, is hiding out after his fiancée dumped him for a famous athlete.

After photos popped up showing June and Levi in a quasi-embrace, they became internet famous for being the break-up exes together. June and Levi decide to continue to fake date so that June can stop being known as “Crying Girl” and Levi can win back his fiancée.

I like the friends-to-lovers trope and June and Levi certainly epitomize this. I enjoyed the sneak peeks into their history and how June’s late older sister was involved in both of their lives. I think if the storyline gave us more chemistry between the two of them and gave the exes less space, it would have been more enjoyable, especially given the whiplash of Levi wanting his ex back. I needed more spice between June and Levi.

Thanks to NetGalley and SMP for this eARC. The Break-Up Pact is out this week.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I haven't read a book that had a viral meme and another viral part to distract from the first. It had so my funny parts but I felt like it drug on quite a bit. I also thought Levi's storyline with his fiancé was a little bit too much and the on again, off again was a little repetitive. I really enjoyed June & the tea shop & her bff, they were lots of fun.

June and Levi decide to pretend to be dating so she can save face and he can make his ex jealous.

The Break-Up Pact is a stand-alone, contemporary romance. There is some open-door content.

There are almost too many tropes to point where the storyline gets a little messy. They’ve known each other since they were kids (second chance), then they had a falling out (frenemies to lovers), but now they’re going to pretend to be together (fake dating). There is quite a bit of angst but that’s not unusual for a couple that’s known each other for so long. I do think it’s exacerbated by having the book written in single POV. Some of the spicy scenes seem like they were thrown in much later in the editing process and don’t always fit the flow of the moment.

The audiobook is done well. Natalie Naudus does a fantastic job solo narrating.

I have read one other book from this author but it was YA (Tweet Cute). I would be interested in reading more of her work in the future whether it be YA or adult contemporary.

I voluntarily read, listened to, and reviewed advanced copies of this book and audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I thought too much of this happened within the main character's head and it took away from the progression of the story. Other than that, it was fine and I enjoyed the banter.

This is not my favorite Emma Lord book by any means, but I will still read anything she writes. Fake dating is probably my favorite trope, so I was super excited about this one. Unfortunately, it did fall flat. I'm glad I had the ebook & audio of this, because that helped me speed through it. There was nothing really bad about it, it just felt very "meh" as I was reading, and I never really felt that urge to want to keep going.

3.5⭐

June and Levi are both going viral for break ups, so the childhood friends make their own pact. But fake dating soon turns real, so what will happen next?

I ate this book up, I really enjoyed it! I thought it was a super cute fake dating/kinda second chance romance with adorable characters. I truly found myself rooting for June and Levi, both in their relationship, as well in life. This was more than just a romance, it was about finding yourself again after you lost your way and I thought Emma Lord depicted that very well.

One of my favorite things about Lord's books is how developed all of her characters are, including the supporting characters. They all feel so flushed out, flaws and all, to make them feel like real people. I find a lot of time authors only flush out the main characters and leave the supporting characters lacking dimension, but not Lord. It really and truly does make her books seem more real and definitely more enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.