The Break-Up Pact started with promise and I was enjoying the book for the first quarter then it just kind of fell flat for me. The characters were just ok didn't really connect to any of them and the side characters felt pretty underdeveloped. I found myself skimming the last bit of the book just to get it finished. I didn't dislike the story but won't really be one I'm thinking about after I'm finished. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

A fun romcom hallmark movie-style read that left me wanting more! I love a good second chances/fake dating story, and this had it all! From the forbidden romance via the sister, to the public internet fake dating, this book had it all. I love how modern this story felt, as someone who grew up during the boom of the internet, this read felt right with the times. My only critique is that I wish the characters had better communication. I read romance novels to escape the problems of real life, and unfortunately communication problems is all to real and everything I want to escape in a good book. That being said, I read this book with so much anticipation I might as well have screamed "JUST TELL EACH OTHER HOW YOU FEEL" from the rooftops! Overall I loved this book, another successful Emma Lord romance.

This book is adorable and so cute! Loved it. Emma Lord is one of my favorites, and if you love her books, you'll love this one as well!

VERY similar vibes to my recent eARC that I read last week, The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce, but slightly not as good / not as groundbreaking as I would have hoped. Loved the fun banter, second chance romance, and a simple friends to lovers trope. Vacation/ beach read for sure! June, a MC, definitely was hard to relate to and connect with. I wanted to love her, but her attitude definitely through me through a loop at times. Add to your TBR for a little spicy summer read! 🌞 Thanks again to St. Martin’s Griffin Press and NetGalley for my eARC!

After suffering a publicly humiliating breakup, June just wants to run her tea and scone shop in peace. That is, until Levi returns to town. Her childhood best friend and former crush has also recently been publicly broken up with. So what better way to move forward than to pretend to date each other?

I felt June’s sadness of trying to run her shop when the bulk of the ideas had come from her sister. But seeing her figure out that she could honor her sister while still doing things her way was nice. And Levi’s broody manner really connected, providing June with that quiet comfort that she remembered from so long ago.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin, and Emma Lord for the free ARC copy of this book.

"The Break Up Pact" by Emmy Lord is a delightful and heartwarming exploration of friendship, love, and the complexities of relationships. When high school sweethearts Bayleigh and Jace decide to end their relationship before college, they make a pact to stay single and focus on their futures. However, their plans are thrown into disarray when they find themselves drawn back to each other, leading to a series of comedic misadventures and heartfelt moments as they navigate the ups and downs of young love. Lord's witty dialogue and endearing characters make this novel a joy to read, while her insightful exploration of the challenges of growing up and finding oneself adds depth and emotional resonance to the story.

With its charming blend of humor, romance, and relatable moments, "The Break Up Pact" is a captivating read that will appeal to fans of contemporary YA fiction. Emmy Lord's authentic voice and keen understanding of the teenage experience shine through in this engaging tale, reminding readers of the power of friendship, forgiveness, and the unexpected journey of self-discovery that comes with letting go of the past and embracing the future.

The premise is intriguing and the characters are likable, yet the story felt somewhat predictable and lacked depth in certain areas. While there are moments of genuine humor and heartfelt emotion, the overall execution left me wanting more. It's a decent pick for a light, easy read, but it might not stand out among other contemporary romance novels.

Emma Lord has been writing some of my favorite YA romances for years now. I was wondering how her brand of banter and fun humor would translate to an adult audience but I shouldn't have been worried. The steamy scenes are pitch perfect for these characters and fit in perfectly to their love store. June and Levi are so wonderful as they feel their way back to each other. What I love most about her books is the fully realized cast of characters that surround them. Dylan, Mateo, Sana are all wonderful people. The villains of this story are also people trying their best (but falling far short of being the type of people June & Levi deserve) which makes them feel very real. Visiting Benson Beach was so much fun and I wish I could visit for real. I had the best time reading this book and I would recommend for anyone else who needs a bright burst of sunlight in their reading lives.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book at 50%.

I am honestly disappointed to have to leave a negative review because I LOVE Lord's YA novels, but this foray into the adult genre fell flat for me. I felt like we jumped into the plot without building much character development. I felt like some of the side characters were there to fulfil a diversity checklist instead of contributing much to the story. I wonder if with a few edits this may be a different book by pub date, but unfortunately for now I'm going to have to bless and release it.

I have read Emma Lord’s YA novels, and I feel that that may be her wheelhouse over adult romance.

I think that TikTok (which is mentioned several times in this book) is really the biggest culprit in this flux of adult romance books coming out when they really have no business doing so. BookTok has really shifted the genre on its head, and while that is exciting, it also makes way for tropes and tropes and more tropes.

I found the writing of The Break-Up Pact to read as very juvenile. Like, this is an adult romance, but was absolutely written with the intent of YA readers being the ones to pick it up. I didn’t find myself rooting for these characters and the constant pop culture/topical references were exhausting.

I think that YA is a better avenue for Emma, but I will check out whatever she writes next.

Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's not that I didn't enjoy the book; it was a decent read. However, considering Emma Lord is one of my favorite romance authors, I had higher expectations. I'm optimistic that I'll find more satisfaction in her next release.

I thought this book was fine. It isn’t something I will be thinking about now that I’ve finished. The characters are fine, but forgettable. The setting is too cutesy for me. It was fine to read, but nothing I’m raving about.

I loved getting to read Levi and June’s story! Coming back together after years apart and then going on the journey of their fake dating was a great introduction into Emma Lord’s adult romance books. Highly recommend!

In terms of rom coms, I found this book to be pretty average. Sometimes the fake dating trope works really well and other times not so much. This was somewhere in the middle. I just feel like the characters lacked the chemistry that really got me fully invested in this book. However, even though it wasn’t my favorite rom com I’ve read, I would still consider trying other books by this other because I think she has a good voice.

Thanks NetGalley for an advanced copy of this ebook.

While I enjoyed aspects of this book (love the friends to lovers trope), I ultimately found that it was trying too hard to be something that it wasn’t. This story is cute and the characters had potential to be fun and flirty, but it was weighed down by what felt like forced tension. Overall, a good summer read, but not a home run for me personally.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed 60% of this book. Then it kind of ground to a screeching halt and the rest was tough to get through The characters are well written, but when they stop talking to each other and the female protagonist is left to muse it is slow going. This could have done with a bit more editing. Also, why would she agree to do the show a second time? That's just annoying and painful to have to read through.

I have been a fan of Emma Lord and her YA books for the last several years. I was excited to receive this early eARC copy from St Martin’s Griffin.

The Break-Up Pact was a cute story line. After terrible public breakups, longtime friends June and Levi, are together again in their hometown and decide to ban together and revenge date to get back at their ex’s. The problem is, beneath the lie there are some real true feelings they both must wade through.

Although this book is listed as a romance, and definitely leans that way with the second chance, fake dating, and semi enemies to loves (since they were not speaking before) story lines. There is also a lot about grief, and loss and trying to move forward without the person you thought would be by your side. June’s sister was just as much a main character as June or Levi, even if it is just the memory of her.

Overall The Break-Up Pact still felt a little juvenile just with a little bit of added spice. The pacing felt a little slow, then rushed all at once. It was good, I wanted to know what would happened, but I think I was expecting more.

The first half of this book, I was super on-board and really loved it. I liked the characters and the hardships they brought into their relationship. However, the second half felt a bit drawn out and a bit lackluster compared to the beginning. I appreciated the realism of talking about the conversations about the future and fears and everything but the execution was just a bit dull and didn’t feel very meaningful at the end.

Loved this book! So fun! The story was very cute and lighthearted. I loved the characters. A fun beach read

Received as an arc from NetGalley.
What happens when you and your childhood friend both get publicly broken up with? You become the Revenge Exes.
June and Levi decide to fake date while utilizing the power of social media to get back at both of their long term partners. I found the build up a little slow and it took me longer than I expected to get into the story. But was glad I stuck with it to see the ending.
Would be interested to read stories about the side characters introduced in this book as their lives were more interesting to me than the main characters.