I’d give the writing 4 stars - it’s compelling and the characters make you want to get to know them - typical for this author. However the story only gets 2 stars. I liked the first two thirds of the book but then things became hard to believe. The characters suddenly changed their minds about things that seemed fundamental to their personalities - the result being the story tied up into a neat-yet-very-unnatural little bow. Really disappointed the story turned this way!

3 ⭐️
Let me start by saying thank you to @netgalley and Ballantine books @randomhouse for my gifted e-copy! I’ve really enjoyed Emily’s writing in the past and this was one of my most anticipated books of the year!

Initially, I found myself immersed in the college atmosphere, the grief the characters faced, and the beautiful writing. I really enjoyed the first 30-ish percent and was eager to continue.

As the novel progressed, I wish the characters would have progressed a little more with it. Lainey and Tyson both felt immature, whereas Hannah felt disrespectful of her friends’ boundaries.

While I enjoyed both romances, I would have enjoyed them more if they could have been more fleshed out. Specifically, I would have liked to see Hannah and her (not going to spoil) partner dive a little deeper.

With all that being said, there were many things I enjoyed. The multiple POVs are always a yes for me, as well as the European setting. The writing was also well done.

If you’re looking for somewhere to start with Emily’s books, I would recommend All We Ever Wanted as a first pick!

The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin is a story about healing after loss, the power of friendship and chosen family and of finding yourself.

The anticipation to read a new EG book is synonymous with summer. Sadly this one wasn’t a hit for me. It’s told from the perspective of 4 college friends that endured a tragedy and make a pact with each other. There are sensitive subject matters so reader beware. Each chapter is the pov from each of the friends. I’m not sure if this disrupted the flow of the story or if it was lack of depth with the story itself. I did feel character development was done well. The travel aspect made the story a bit more engaging. By novels end Tyson, Hannah, Lainey do learn things about themselves and are willing to brave a different path or at least are open to the exploring them. Is is where they thought they’d be all these years later of course not. Ty #NetGalley for the ARC all opinions are my own.

For whatever reason, the book just wasn’t for me. I have been on a summer romance, reading kick, and I was really excited to dive into this one.

It started out really heavy, which isn’t the reason why I didn’t like it. But it definitely added to less of a fluff, enjoyable, summer read, and more of a dark topic.

At this point in time, it’s just not a book that I loved or enjoyed

**Book Review: *The Summer Pact* by Emily Giffin**

Emily Giffin’s *The Summer Pact* is a compelling addition to her body of work, blending poignant storytelling with the author’s signature wit and emotional depth. The novel delves into themes of friendship, family, and self-discovery, offering readers an engaging narrative filled with relatable characters and thought-provoking dilemmas.

Set against the backdrop of a sun-soaked summer, the story revolves around three lifelong friends who reunite to honor a pact they made years ago. Each character brings their own set of issues and desires to the table, and as the summer unfolds, the pact becomes a catalyst for exploring deeper truths about their lives.

Giffin’s strength lies in her ability to create authentic, multi-dimensional characters. In *The Summer Pact*, she excels at illustrating the complexities of long-standing relationships and the way time and distance can alter perceptions. The protagonists are well-crafted, each struggling with personal challenges while trying to uphold the promises made in their youth.

The narrative is well-paced, with Giffin skillfully weaving together past and present to build a rich, immersive story. Her prose is sharp and evocative, capturing the nuances of both the serene summer setting and the internal conflicts of her characters. Readers will appreciate the emotional resonance and the moments of humor that provide relief amidst the drama.

One of the novel's strengths is its exploration of how friendships evolve over time. Giffin does an admirable job of depicting the tension between nostalgia and reality, showing how the ideals of youth can clash with the complexities of adulthood. The resolution of the summer pact is both satisfying and realistic, leaving readers with a sense of closure while also inviting reflection on their own relationships.

However, some readers might find the plot a bit predictable, especially if they are familiar with Giffin’s previous works. The themes and character arcs, while compelling, follow a somewhat familiar trajectory that might not offer much new ground for those who have read her novels extensively.

Overall, *The Summer Pact* is a heartfelt and engaging read that showcases Emily Giffin’s talent for crafting emotionally resonant stories. It’s a celebration of friendship and personal growth, set against a backdrop that perfectly captures the essence of summer. Fans of Giffin will find much to love, and newcomers will be drawn in by her skillful storytelling and rich character development.

The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin was a quick grab for me due to my love for her last release. Unfortunately an hour into reading I knew I was going to have a bit of a problem. I do always appreciate the warning of potential triggers that will occur in the book, that was a plus. The storyline was there being mostly about three of the friends at crossroads in their life and make a pact to stay together and help one another. It just fell flat for me, it wasn’t enough to create the great feel I had in her previous novel Meant to Be. I will definitely be looking forward to see what else comes next from this talented author. I’m sure there’s a great target audience for The Summer Pact.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Underwhelming and forgettable. I made no connections with any of the characters (they're discontented elder millennials! Like me! This should've been a slam dunk.) The pop-culture references to the Eras tour and even Travis Kelce were odd and took me out of the story. And, nothing really happens? Which is wild considering that the characters are globetrotting Eat Pray Love style.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A beautiful and moving story of friendship & finding yourself.

This one started out so strong & I was instantly hooked. Filled with emotion and [trigger warning] the death of a best friend by suicide, this book captures you from the start.

I found the middle to be a little slow, and the way some things wrapped up at the end seemed a little off, but overall a powerful story. Definitely a great one to check out!

This was a super sweet story about love, friendship and grief. It was done very well through the incredibly heavy topics the book talked about.

Review: The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin 3

In the wake of tragedy, a group of friends make a pact that will cause them to reunite a decade later and embark upon a life-changing adventure together.

I have been reading Emily Giffin for over a decade and find her books usually strike a balance between easy to read while also dealing with a tragedy. The Summer Pact fell short for me, while it was super to read (short chapters and simple dialog) it lacked something that made it memorable. Some of the storylines felt a bit rushed and added in to check the box. Overall, I would skip this one and look into her backlist if you haven't read some of her older books.

I've always been a huge fan of Emily Griffin and this book does not disappoint. After facing tragedy in their college years a group of friends have made a pact to always be there for each other and when one of them faces a relationship crisis, the group is called together to take the college trip that they never got to do. Each of them is facing their own crises and are learning how to navigate those while supporting each other. A great read about the power of friendship.

I was waiting all summer to read Emily Giffin's latest summer read, The Summer Pact. I read my first Emily Giffin novel in 2005 and am always looking forward to the next one.

The Summer Pact, is a story of 4 friends who meet at the very beginning of their college journey and instantly become inseparable. Right before they graduate college, tragedy strikes and affects each of them differently as their start their next chapter of their lives as adults. Several years after graduation, they are still best friends and reunite after another unfortunate event happens.

This story is told from 3 different points of view. I found the different POV so similar, I often had trouble remembering whose view I was currently reading. This was a struggle for me. Overall, I enjoyed the story and appreciated some of the heavy topics. However, I feel the story was a little far fetched by having so many different "heavy topics" going on at the same time. I wish the author could have maybe developed the chargers a little more and kept the story around 1 or 2 of these scenarios, instead of jumping around from one to the next.

This was a sold 3 star read and kept my attention.

This is the tale of friendship, love, and loss. It had so much potential, and I did enjoy it but I could have seen it being so much more! It felt like there were too many instances of trying to be relevant that it became cumbersome and irrelevant. Grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read.

In Emily Giffin's latest book, four freshmen arrive at college from completely different worlds: Lainey, a California party girl with a flair for drama; Tyson, a brilliant scholar and aspiring lawyer from Washington, D.C.; Summer, an ambitious, recruited athlete from the Midwest; and Hannah, a mild-mannered southerner who is content to quietly fill in the circle of big personalities. These four quickly become friends until a tragedy pushed them apart. Shocked and heartbroken, they make a pact, promising to always be there for one another, no matter how separated they may become.

Ten years later, Hannah is anticipating what should be one of the happiest moments of her life when everything is suddenly turned upside down. Calling on her closest friends, it soon becomes clear that they are all facing their own crossroads. True to their promise, they agree to take a time out from lives headed in wrong directions and embark on a shared journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and acceptance. This is a great story of friendship and the bonds that bind us together.

Emily Giffin has some really great stories and some stories that don't really speak to me. This falls into the latter. The idea of the book has been done plenty- a group of friends loses a member of their group through suicide and they form some sort of pact to stay friends and support each other. I've seen it recently in The Celebrants. That automatically makes this book less interesting to me but how it's executed is just too simplistic and neat. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book was a lot of emotions. It was a heavy subject/event that tied these friends together for years. When they need each other they just show up. They must be fully present. So history doesn’t repeat itself. But they each have secrets about their final months with their long lost friend that haunts each of them.

After a tragic loss, three friends form a pact to always be there for each other in their hardest times. A simple concept that many in life have promised but these friends follow true. I definitely did not see the catalyst of this pact coming - my jaw literally dropped open when I read it. It threw me off but the rest of the book tried to act like a salve and heal me over. I enjoyed reading about a solid always-there-for-you friendship, because that seems so rare. Capri was where the majority of the book was set and I have always wanted to go to Italy and always enjoy reading books set there. The relationship changes in this book were very predictable and just felt kind of plain. Overall this was a quick read, engaging enough that I kept coming back to it in my spare time, had some shock value, and sweet parts. If you enjoy E.H. books then read this one but otherwise I’m a bit mixed on how well I liked it.

I loved The Summer Pact. It was not exactly what I expected, but it was a super story of friendship, healing, and finding love after tragedy, supported by a beautiful Italian backdrop. Definitely recommend!

Emily Giffen is a good storyteller. She reminded me of how much I love meeting with girlfriends of 30 years - though now we meet online since we live in different parts of the world.

Three very different women track their journey and their friendship over 10 years, through grief, celebration, and surprising revelations that we learn about each other as life unfolds. You'll love this for a beach read, on the commute, or when you need to be reminded that old friends can remain Friends of the heart.