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.

I'm sorry, this one just wasn't for me. The writing was fine but I had a hard time connecting with the characters. It didn't have the romance vibe I was looking for. Loved the cover and would probably mention it to others looking for recommendations.

Emma Lord delivers another charming and emotionally resonant story with The Break-Up Pact. This time, she takes on the popular "fake dating" trope with childhood best friends, June and Levi, who reunite under unusual circumstances. The premise is engaging, and the chemistry between the two leads is undeniable. Lord's signature humor and witty banter shine through, making for an enjoyable read.

However, the plot feels somewhat predictable, and the characters lack depth. While the emotional moments hit their mark, the overall narrative falls short of being truly memorable. The story moves at a brisk pace, but this sometimes comes at the expense of character development and exploring the complexities of their relationship.

Overall, The Break-Up Pact is a sweet and entertaining read, perfect for those seeking a lighthearted romance. While it may not be groundbreaking, it offers a comforting escape with likable characters and a satisfying resolution. It's a solid 3-star read that fans of Emma Lord's previous works will likely enjoy.

This book was fine. It dragged out a little at some points, but then it picked back up. I enjoyed reading the grieving aspect of the book probably because I myself am grieving too. My favorite thing about the book was June trying to keep the shop open in honor of Annie. I think Levi and June were fine characters, but I didn’t connect with them as much as I wanted to.

Emma Lord… You continue to make me giggle and kick my legs with every book you write and The Breakup Pact is no different. June and Levi are dreamy chaotic messes and the most adorable couple. Emma Lord knows how to masterfully combine sweet treats, lovable characters and the cutest settings to create a romance scone worthy of Tea Tide.

Buckle up for a hilarious and heartfelt ride with Emma Lord's latest novel, "The Break-Up Pact." Estranged best friends June and Levi find themselves thrown back together after their very public break-ups go viral. June, struggling to keep her beachside tea shop afloat, and Levi, a disillusioned hedge fund manager yearning for a creative outlet, hatch a crazy plan. They'll pretend to date, using the internet's obsession to June's advantage and maybe even make Levi's ex jealous.

Lord excels at creating laugh-out-loud moments with witty dialogue and playful banter. But beneath the humor lies a deeper exploration of healing old wounds, rekindling lost friendships, and the courage to pursue your dreams. June and Levi's undeniable chemistry keeps you invested in their journey, and the exploration of their complicated past adds a layer of emotional depth.

While there's plenty of swoon-worthy moments to keep romance fans happy, "The Break-Up Pact" is more than just a fluffy fake-dating story. It's a celebration of second chances, self-discovery, and the enduring power of friendship. If you're looking for a feel-good read that will make you laugh and cry (sometimes in the same chapter!), this book is definitely worth adding to your TBR pile.

Just a heads up, there are some inner monologues from June that might feel a tad repetitive for some readers. However, Lord's engaging writing style keeps the story moving at a good pace.

Overall, "The Break-Up Pact" is a charming and witty novel that will leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for sharing a digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Bring on the Revenge Exes! June and Levi both have public break-ups and, with the internet trolls trolling, they stumble into a fake relationship pact to turn the tides of public opinion and get the peace they crave. It doesn't hurt at all that June's failing bakery is getting a much needed boost and Levi's writer's block is maybe not so blocky anymore.
Emma's adult debut is everything I wanted it to be. I'm not typically a fan of friends-to-lovers or fake dating these days but I guess when they've gone their separate ways and come back together with some angst and hurt between them and it's Emma behind the words, I'm a sucker for it! June and Levi are so lovable, their shared grief combined with their chemistry gave me all the feels. I'm a big fan of Emma as a person and I'm excited to see what she publishes next.
Thank you to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

This book was really sweet. I thought that our two main characters were easy to follow and I loved the snapshots of younger them that we got to see. I thought that there were some moments throughout the book that were a little annoying, but overall it was a really sweet second chance(ish) romance!

Closed Door Modification: Chapter 15

I was sent an ebook ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are mine.

I loved the premise of childhood best friends that lost touch, only to reconcile and make a breakup pact to get back at their ex’s. June and Levi both had public, humiliating breakups. When a picture is taken of them without their knowledge, they are dubbed the revenge ex’s. Using this to their advantage will only help them both out right? Or maybe the only thing it will help is them coming clean with how they really feel about each other. Funny and full of witty dialogue, this is the perfect summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the arc.

I enjoyed reading this second chance / best friends to lovers story about June Hart and Levi Shaw. June lives in a small beach town an hour and a half away from New York City, where she runs a tea shop. June is in a deep funk, though. June is still grieving the death of her sister, Annie, two years ago. Annie conceived and opened the tea shop, and June is just trying to keep it open. But, June's reaction to breaking up with her boyfriend, captured and shown endlessly through social media, starts bringing visitors to the tea shop. And one of those visitors is an old friend from high school, Levi Shaw.

Levi, coincidentally, is also experiencing social media fame due to a messy break-up with his fiancee. June and Levi used to be best friends back in high school, but June's unrequited love admission to Levi ten years ago left them incommunicado for two years, and sporadic text messages exchanged the remaining eight years. But June and Levi agree to fake date, getting labeled the "Revenge Exes", and milk their notoriety for the future of the tea shop, and to potentially rekindle Levi's relationship with his ex.

I honestly thought this was going to be a quick and sweet love story, not expecting all of the angst experienced by June, angst for Levi, angst for her sister, and angst for future, in addition to the tea shop's future. I appreciated the angst, but the story dragged around the 70%-85% mark. There was a lot of second guessing and introspection done by June during that section, and I lost interest in the story. I did like June and Levi, and enjoyed reading about their friends. I want to read more from Emma Lord in the future.

This book had the potential to have everything I love in a book. A childhood best friends to strangers to take dating to lovers/second chance.
And it was cute, I did enjoy it. However a bit of the plot was confusing, like why was every one of their "dates" planning someone else's wedding? I found myself hung up on this a little bit. They spend so much time planning for June's brother's wedding while the brother is nowhere to be seen and call these dates? Why isn't the brother involved in his own wedding planning?
The lack of communication from the main characters also got me frustrated.
The entire time so much could've been different if they just talked.
Other than that, it was a cute story though.

**thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**