The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord is a delightful, laugh-out-loud rom-com that cleverly explores the chaos of second chances, fake relationships, and the unpredictable nature of love. June and Levi were once inseparable best friends, but years of silence and distance have come between them. Now, both are struggling in different ways—June is fighting to keep her beachside tea shop afloat, while Levi is living the high-stress life of a hedge fund manager in New York, failing to find fulfillment in either his career or his writing.

When a viral photo of them together after humiliating breakups with their exes convinces the internet they're a couple, June and Levi decide to roll with it. Their fake relationship could help save her business and make Levi's ex regret letting him go. What starts as a mutual, business-minded pact soon spirals into something more complicated, with staged "romantic" dates and swoon-worthy photo ops designed to convince the world they’re in love. But as the line between pretend and real begins to blur, both must confront the emotions they’ve been burying for years.

Lord expertly balances humor and heart, creating a cast of lovable characters and a setting full of charm and warmth. The dynamic between June and Levi is both sweet and full of tension, making their journey from fake romance to real feelings an absolute joy to read. The Break-Up Pact is a perfect feel-good read for fans of fake-dating tropes, second-chance romance, and witty banter. It’s a fun, heartfelt reminder that sometimes the best relationships come from the most unexpected places.

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord is light-hearted, fun, and filled with rom-com energy. It's charming, with a lot of heart and humor.

I really enjoyed this one! The story follows two friends, Natalie and Will, who make a pact to break up with their significant others together to avoid the drama of breakups on their own. But things get messy when their pact brings them closer and sparks feelings neither of them expected. It's a sweet, quirky love story that blends friendship, self-discovery, and romance. The pacing was great, and I found myself rooting for the characters as they navigated the ups and downs of their unconventional pact. If you're looking for a feel-good read with a little bit of everything, this one’s definitely worth it!

I LOVED The Rival and was excited to read this adult novel by Emma. Sadly, this novel was a let down for me. It felt like an early draft that needed some work on the pacing and details.

I liked our two main characters overall, but they did not see as real as characters from her other books.

While I would not necessarily recommend this book by Emma, I have enjoyed her writing enough to pick up other books she releases.

Rounded down from 3.5 stars.

This was one of my first dips into audiobooks and the romance genre and I liked it! There were definitely some cons that I had problems with, but I don't think it was the book itself, honestly. I think it was more a me thing. In general, it reminded me of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill (which I loved) & The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie.

Pros:
The storyline itself. I loved the way the author portrayed the relationship between the FMC and her sister.
I loved the relationship between Levi & June towards the end and the nicknames they used with each other.
Love the fake dating trope and how it was carried out.
The narrator was absolutely amazing! Natalie Naudus really brought the story to life and I'm so glad she was chosen for this book!

Cons:
For some reason, June just kind of rubbed me the wrong way. She was stuck in her head TOO much and it lead to a lot of negativity.
Oh my gosh, her car's nickname drove me nuts. lol But that was definitely a me thing.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Emma Lord for the chance to listen to this book.

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord is a laugh out loud, easy rom-com listen & read. Each work by this author makes me love her even more! I will definitely check out more of her books.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for an ARC copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good second chance romance with a fake dating twist, and The Break Up Pact hit all the right notes! After a decade of no contact, June and Levi find themselves in a fake relationship to recover from their viral breakups. What I appreciated most was the mix of lighthearted moments and deeper emotional challenges. Both characters are healing from past relationship wounds and dealing with unresolved issues from their old friendship, making their journey feel authentic and heartfelt. This book offers a great balance of fun and depth, perfect for anyone who enjoys a romance with a bit more emotional weight.

This is my least favorite Emma Lord book I have read. It is not her normal YA fun fluffy fare, but two adults who couldn't find healthy communication if punched them in the face. They are a bit insufferable and although they have chemistry, the scenes in-between their dialed up chemistry fall a bit flat. Emma Lord's other books I have read have atmosphere and a sense of place that are vibrant, and this book really was a bit dull in comparison.

Also, this book should have been titled The Revenge Exes. The break-up pact moniker felt forced into the plot. It wasn't well named. I'm very annoyed at poorly titled books lately.

Book elements: Internet sensations, High school besties-second chance romance, shared grief, close knit community, single POV, fake dating, entrepreneurship, making decisions for yourself

Content Note: 1 very open door scene, LGBTQ side story of planning a wedding, infidelity, grief

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Griffin for the gifted title. All opinions are my own.

I have been waiting for this book for a long time and I was so happy to be able to listen to this book! And it was just as good as I thought it would be!

Emma Lord is becoming an auto buy author for me. I love hilarious cringy situations that make you want to look away while still taking a peak. That is how Emma Lord creates these embarrassing at times hilarious yet hopeful and romantic stories you are rooting for.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advance audiobook of this title.

When you've just experienced the most embarrassing, humiliating, public break up of your life, is a friend from your past the best or worst person to come back into your life? Well, when they appear to have gone through something similar, perhaps the best, as the break up pact is born. Whether for revenge or to make the ex jealous, June and Levi agree to pretend to be a couple for a designated number of dates and with clear boundaries. But can they both stick to those boundaries? And how will the exes react?

A well-narrated, somewhat light, romantic comedy--but who will get to live happily ever after?

Emma Lord never misses—The Break-Up Pact is a must-read for rom-com fans! Sweet, fun, and heartfelt!

I love second chance romance and fake dating, and this one had plenty of both! June and Levi haven't spoken in ten years and start fake dating after each experiences very public, viral breakups. This one wasn't as easy breezy as the cover might lead you to believe, but I enjoy a romance with big feelings, which this one had. Both were dealing with relationship trauma and public ridicule in the social media sphere, so they're both trying to heal from troubling relationships, which isn't easy. Also, they have to deal with issues from their past friendship. It's a good balance of light and heavy. This one kind of gave me some Tarah Dewitt vibes, so I'd recommend this one to fans of Funny Feelings.

Former teenage best friends pretend to be lovers after their breakups go viral? YES PLEASE! Emma over here hitting me with all the best tropes. Also, who doesn't want to see a new love thrown in the crappy exes faces? The writing was heartfelt and easy to get lost in. I listened to it in one sitting because I needed to know how it all played out (even though we all know how it's going to end. It is a romcom after all). June and Levi were both endearing characters that you wanted to find happiness together. I highly recommend picking this one up if you like light-hearted romance books. It's perfect for a quick pick me up that will bring a smile to your face.

This was such a cute book. It managed to touch on viral shaming in the digital age, with a second chance and still lovers. I loved the writing, and I will definitely look for this writer again in the future. The narration was also great and I really can’t recommend this book enough.

June and Levi were absolutely adorable!

Both end up going viral for break ups, June on the more unfortunate end as "crying girl". They are both back home and trying to patch up their friendship and their life. They end up starting a fake relationship (one of my favorite tropes) and no surprise, things take off from there. If you are looking for a warm and fuzzy beach read this is the one!

Unfortunately this book didn't work for me and I ended up deciding not to finish it at 70%.

I’m a hard sell on fake dating anyway but the way it was done here felt very paint by numbers, as if the the author were checking items off on a list of how to write a romance book. On top of that the MCs felt kinda flat and I just lost interest in following them.

All of that said, I could totally see this working for other readers, there isn't anything objectively wrong here.

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord was a fun romcom with enjoyable production. Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

Cute enough, but I don’t think this author and I vibe anymore. It was fine but surface level and I didn’t really connect with any of the characters so it all felt very meh to me

All the great tropes but just didn’t hit it for me.

✔️ fake dating
✔️ friends to lovers
✔️ struggling business
✔️ miscommunication
✔️ second chance romance
✔️ sisters best friend

There were quite a few things that made me not really care for the book. For one how both main characters acted toward their exes, umm no. They were both publicly humiliated and yet they both make excuses for them, one ACTUALLY wants to try and make it work with the ex, and don’t get me started about the show. Maybe I’m just crazy but no way in 🔥 would I be that way. Like I believe in payback, but that’s just me. Also it’s very hard to believe after 10 years apart they just step right in sync just like that. <insert a roll of the eyes>

The one thing I did like about the book was the narrator, I actually enjoyed Natalie Naudus as the reader.

I have seen it mentioned several times that Emma Lord’s ya novels are where it’s at (this is my first by her) so I plan on trying one of those.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an advance copy in exchange for a honest review.

June and Levi were best friends as teenagers, but as adults, it's been years since they last spoke. After each experiencing very embarrassing, very public breakups, they find each other again. But when a picture of the two of them together makes its way to the tabloids, they decide to lean into the assumption that they are dating. They continue to post pictures pretending to be in the perfect relationship, but quickly the feelings become real.
I have loved Emma Lord’s YA romances, so I was thrilled to learn she was writing one for adults, and it lived up to all my dreams and expectations. June and Levi’s chemistry was incredible and their shared history as friends made their romance even sweeter. I loved them together.
The audiobook was narrated by Natalie Naudus who is one of my favorite narrators. As always, she did a phenomenal job bringing thee characters to life and I could listen to her all day. No matter which format you choose, this book is amazing!
Thank you to SMP Romance, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies.