So many layers. So many feels. This is a romance, yes, but also much more. Shalvis seamlessly weaves together multiple relationships and plot threads into a story that pulled me in and kept me eagerly turning pages. I loved the slow-burn, second-chance romance between Riggs and Tae but the various family relationships were just as impactful.

I enjoy couples who share a significant moment as teens then go their separate ways, only to be unexpectedly reunited years later, especially when weighty baggage is being carried by both. I enjoyed the fact that both Tae and Riggs were complex, flawed characters. The chemistry that had ignited between them was still there but the road forward was filled with emotional potholes. Shalvis made them work hard for their happily ever after. I loved it.

The family relationships in this book were a vital part of the makeup of Tae and Riggs. Tae's co-dependent relationship with her mother, a woman only 15 years older and still searching for her identity, was a critical piece of Tae's evolution as well as April's (her mother). April's journey, decisions she made as a teen, and the fallout when an unexpected character enters the picture, were important parts of the story that impact April, Tae, and even Riggs.

Then there's the relationship between Riggs and his brother, a landmine of emotions with a troubled history but love at its core. Shalvis nailed the dynamic between the brothers, the antagonism, the guilt, the tenuous unspoken hope, and the love that won't be denied.

Some of my favorite parts of the story were scenes involving the company co-owned by Riggs and his brother, an organization that offered recreational opportunities and hope to injured veterans and at risk youth. Shalvis brought each of the characters in those scenes to vibrant life, engaging my emotions and making me want to sign up to volunteer today. I love how she makes me care deeply about even secondary characters.

The Friendship Pact is the second book in the Sunrise Cove series but, really, the only connection between the two is the setting of Lake Tahoe. The books stand completely on their own and can be read in any order. Add this one to your summer reading list. I highly recommend it.

4.5 Stars
ARC received for fair and unbiased review

Jill Shalvis did it again with her newest book, The Friendship Pact. Another stellar women's fiction read. And I can’t wait to tell you more about it.

The Friendship Pact has three POVs: Tae Holmes and her mother April, and Riggs Copeland, aka the former love of Tae. Each of them has a story to tell because they are all hiding something from oneself and maybe to someone else as well.

Let’s get started on Tae Holmes. She is pretty proud of herself when she is finally at a place where she is financially stable. She had a rough childhood when her mother, April, was raising her as well as raising herself. It left her more guarded than anything when it came to relationships. No one wants to be in any relationship when things are unstable, so she is kind of hesitant to reconnect with her former lover, aka hookup, Riggs Copeland.

Riggs Copeland has been through the wringer throughout his life, so it’s no wonder that he does not make any connection to anyone except his brother. But even his relationship with his older brother is kind of rocky, so he visits him for the summer. And he has no idea what to do because his brother wants something more for him. Don’t know what that means to him yet. He just knows he wants to spend more time with Tae again. She makes him feel whole again, even though her mother disagrees with him.

April Holmes truly raised her daughter and herself at the same time. It may not have been the nicest childhood, but they were in it together. Now, as she is older, she wants to be more of a mother. She knows it’s going to take time with her daughter, Tae, to realize it, but she has time.

With all of their POVs, I enjoyed Riggs' character more. He was always honest about his opinions and actions throughout the book. There was no backup whenever he talked to his brother or to Tae. Tae was a character that I had trouble with. I kind of liked her and kind of don’t like her in this book. I felt like she was going too much back and forth about her situation with her mother and Riggs. I know she wants stability in her life because nothing goes to plan especially when she discovers her father might be alive. I could not stand her mother at all in this book. I truly felt she was very selfish about her decisions in any situation. I refuse to stand for her. And that’s my piece.

I loved the first book in this series and this was good, but I didn’t like it as much. Even though this is the second book in the series, you don’t need to read the first, unless you want to. Riggs and Tae were good friends in school, until they were more and she shut him out. Now, they are back in each other’s lives and old feelings are resurfacing, which scared both of them. I didn’t really like Tae’s mom, because I felt like she didn’t want to take responsibility for the lies that she told, even though I understand she was a young mother.
Riggs isn’t planning on staying in town long, but is enjoying spending time with his brother (even with the guilt he has) and the relationship he has with Tae. I liked Riggs a lot. He didn’t seem to shy away from Tae or the hard parts of life. I was happy when he and his brother talked and he had that aha moment. Tae was a little harder for me to like. She had walls up that were high and sturdy and I felt like she was a harda$& in some ways, but mean in others. She didn’t want to try with Riggs because she felt like he was leaving. She also blamed him for something that she shouldn’t have and, in my opinion, acted like a spoiled child.
Overall, I liked this book and the relationship between Riggs and Tae, I just wish they would have communicated a little more at times. I can’t wait to see what happens next in this town. I received an ARC and am leaving my honest, voluntary review.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, steamy and held my interest. I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

This story will keep you reading all night! The family struggles and conflict and second chance at love it has it all. I devoured it in a day. I think Jill has outdone herself with this one. Can't wait to see what she has in store next

Although this was the second book in her Sunrise alcove series, I haven’t read the first and I don’t feel like I was missing any pieces to this story. I will probably go back and read the first boom at some point however, because I enjoyed this one so much.
April and Tae are a super close mother daughter who have grown up together as a result of April being only 15 when she got pregnant with Tae. April keeps Tae’s father a secret from her until one day someone in town says he thought he saw him, which should be impossible according to the little bit that April has told Tae. But when Tae starts working for a company that works with disabled athletes and wounded soldiers, she re-connects with Riggs, a former marine, who she had a quick fling with during high school. They both bring a lot of baggage to their friendship, but Riggs decides to help Tae find her father and in doing so, their feelings for each other re-surface. They’re left trying to decide if they’re better off as friends or if they are willing to work at having more of a relationship.
This was funny and romantic, with lots of family drama and will be a perfect beach read this summer!
Thanks to William Morrow Publishing and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2022/06/14/%f0%9f%8e%a7-the-friendship-pact-by-jill-shalvis/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
&nbsp;

<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

4.5 hearts

The <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/320612-sunrise-cove" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Sunrise Cove</strong></em></a> series continues and it seems like a place anyone could love.  The beauty of the outdoors and all the activities would be awesome. The books are standalones.  Our couple to be actually, in <strong>The Friendship Pact</strong>,  were friends in high school and grew up here.  Tae is back after college running an events planning company.  Riggs is here for the summer to work with the company he and his brother own which do activities for veterans.

Tae is running their fundraising events and is immediately re-attracted to Riggs.  They both have some bad family history and don't open up to others well.  But they are also pretty irresistible.  Tae remembers what it is like to be a teen without enough food and suggests they also include disadvantaged youth.   The concept and execution are heart-warming.

Tae and Riggs both have issues to work through over the summer but they can't seem to stay away from each other.  I enjoyed their personal growth and how they became more honest and connected to their families.  I felt everything which is totally how a Shalvis book works.

Jill Shalvis is one of my favorite authors. Her new release, The Friendship Pact, has once again exceeded my expectations. Although this is the second book in the Sunrise Cove series, this book can be read as a stand-alone.

Tae Holmes was raised by her mother April, but it was not always easy because her mom is only fifteen years older than Tae. Often mistaken for sisters, Tae learned to be the responsible one in the relationship more often than not. Tae has never known anything about her father, and was told he died. During the fundraiser she organized, someone mentions knowing her dad. How can that be when her mom told her that he died? She tries to find out information from her mom, but she does not get the answers that she was hoping for. Tae is determined to find out the truth, and the one person she never expected to help her is Riggs Copeland.

Riggs Copeland is a former Marine, and the silent partner in Adrenaline HQ. He has returned to Lake Tahoe to help his brother Jake with his business. While attending a fundraiser for Adrenaline HQ, he reconnects with Tae...the organizer of the fundraiser and also his former fling from high school. Seeing Tae brings back a rush of emotions and memories, but Riggs knows that a relationship is not in the cards for him.

The story that unfolds is simply amazing. Tae and Riggs are two broken souls, determined to avoid relationships at all costs, which is why the decide on the "friendship pact" to avoid any emotional entanglements. However, the spark is definitely there, and it gets harder to ignore the chemistry between them as time goes by.

The Frienship Pact is a beautifully told story about family, friendship, and second chances. I loved the main characters as much as the minor cast of characters. Each character is well-developed and relatable. I was rooting for Tae and Riggs to let their guard down and finally open their hearts to the possibility of love! I would definitely recommend The Friendship Pact, as well as the first book in the series, The Family You Make.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Jill Shalvis and William Morrow Publishing for providing an ARC of The Friendship Pact. My reviews are my own, and are in no way influenced by anyone else.

4.5 Delightful, Sizzling Stars!
I loved this sweet, and emotional story about family, regrets, hope, and love. Tae's mom, April, had Tae when she was a young teen. They essentially grew up together with Tae taking on most of the responsibility. April did the best she could, and Tae loved her mom, but felt starved for affection. Riggs was popular in school, but a not so happy life at home. He was attracted to the tough, smart, and snarky Tae. They were each others firsts, but their feelings scared them and they broke apart. Now years later, Riggs is back in town after leaving the military, to help his wounded warrior brother for the summer. When Tae and Riggs meet again, the sparks explode. But neither is looking for another complication in their life. Tae wants to find her father, without hurting her mom, and Riggs wants to leave town before he gets attached, and they leave him first. With the fiery desire burning between them, they agree to a temporary benefits arrangement. As they spend time together and see the unexpected, steadfast support and selfless actions, they begin to image a future might be possible. But when a secret comes to light, Tae feels betrayed, Will she be able to forgive Riggs and trust him again, or will she push him away again, for good? I was completely captivated by Tae and Riggs' story. They challenging each other, and even though they were both warriors, they helped heal and open each others heart to family, friends, and love. I loved how strong, fun and independent Tae was, and Riggs really cared for others even as he hid behind his hard exterior. He is so swoony with a heart of gold. I also fell hard for all their quirky friends and family who added so much fun and heart to this book, especially April's heartfelt story. I loved this delightful, moving, and sizzling romance!

This book is about the journey of Tae and Riggs, how they met, went their separate ways, and met up again years later. Riggs is back to help his brother run the foundation, and Tae works there. Tae and her mother have a close relationship, but when they were doing an event, something was said that made Tae wonder about something.
She debated whether to tell her mother, and decided not to, but mothers sometimes do something that is protecting their child, and it doesn't turn out the way they expected. Jack and his brother have things they have to face. But in life, you have to move on and see what happens, and that is what happens here.
The book is about life., the journey, mistakes, finding yourself, and seeing yourself they way you truly are.
I received an ARC from Avon through NetGalley.

I received a digital reading copy of The Friendship Pact; review contains my own thoughts and opinions.

Jill Shalvis is one of my go-to authors for a great story with depth and heart, and The Friendship Pact is another favorite to add to my list!

Tae and her mom, April, are close and in many ways act more like siblings than daughter and parent. April has always done the best she can by Tae - and honestly, she had her at 15, so April did what she needed to do in order for them to survive over the years.

Now, Tae is 28 and has questions about her father, and her mother is silent. Enter Riggs Copeland, someone from Tae’s past, who offers to help while he is in town for the summer.

The chemistry between Tae and Riggs is off the charts amazing! I love a second chance romance centered in a small town.

While this is the second book in the Sunset Cove series, reading the first is not required, as the only thing in common is the location.

The Friendship Pact is the perfect summer read - I highly recommend it!

My first from this author and I can see why Jill Shalvis has such a huge following. I fell so very easily into her words right from the start as the story of Tae, April, Riggs and even Jake came to life. The small town of Sunrise Cove as the backdrop to this book provides the perfect set-up for Tae and Riggs to get reacquainted after a brief romance back in high school. Their 'reunion' of sorts takes both by surprise and as the summer wanes on, true feelings of love emerge but it's anyone's guess whether or not that will be permanent. And for people like Tae and Riggs, that four-letter word doesn't come easy.

Shalvis takes her time in setting the stage for what could be the love of Tae and Riggs' lifetime. There are many other factors at play with trust on both of their parts a huge roadblock between them. But their playful banter was fun to watch and I was impressed by the way Tae leads her life. Always protective of April and the awe she has for her mom, who raised her from the age of 15 (!), she often appears to have a ton on her plate especially since she is most times the one to keep her mom in line. April is wonderful but makes bad choices and to be honest, Tae is more often the mother than April seems to be.

However, this summer proves to be a learning curve for everyone involved. Tae and Riggs open their hearts even when it hurts. April finds her photography to be the beginning of a new career. And Riggs' relationship with his brother Jake and his wonderful wife Carolyn seems to finally be on the mend. All the sub-stories are well placed and easily flow within one another. But it's the burgeoning love affair between Tae and Riggs that takes center stage. With a whirlwind of emotions surrounding them at every turn and with the surprise of Tae's life on the horizon, it's a true guessing game whether or not these two can get out of their own way and simply be happy together.

This lengthy book is well worth the time taken to read it but at times it did feel a bit draggy and perhaps could have been shortened just a bit. Shalvis seems to like to take her time in letting everything play out and with all that occurs, I suppose that is necessary in this case. Overall, though, I did enjoy the author's prose and her characters are memorable and full of life and I would not hesitate to read her work again.

4 solid stars.

#readpairsharereview ⬇️

QOTD/Predictive Text if you can’t think of one: Life is better at the _______? Or on the ________.

You know those signs that say Life is better . . . I love them so much. But, I don’t have a beach house or a lake house, so I made myself this sign for myself: Life is better on the porch. It should actually say: Life is better when it’s 75, sunny, and no humidity. Because, honestly, life is not better on the porch this week when it’s 90-95 and humid.

It’s such an honor to review an eARC of one of my favorite before #bookstagram authors. My favorite might have been The Wildstone Series; but, it’s hard to pick. Thank you @netgalley @williammorrow & @avonbooks for the opportunity to read this eARC.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5 scale)
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 (0-5 scale)

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 Lake life and summer vibes are so good here in Sunrise Cove.
🤩 3rd person—TRIPLE point of view.
🤩 Re-meet cute! A captivating story from the very beginning.
🤩 Second chance at friends to lovers.
🤩 Resilient MCs (and side characters) with difficult childhood and young adult trauma.
🤩 That lusty feeling when the MCs resist the chemistry between them “for the best.” Oh, the tension is so hot.
🤩 Their careers and colleagues (event planning, photography class) make for some fun and laugh =-out-loud moments.
🤩 The side story about Tae trying to find the truth about her father makes the story extra interesting.
🤩 The family bond between Tae and her mom April as well as Riggs and his brother Jake are so real and loving.

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 I wish the actual physical steam matched the amazing chemistry and sexual tension between Riggs and Tae.
💫 Caution: Triggers of childhood trauma from alcoholism, abuse, and being poor/not having basic needs met. Other triggers of PTSD from military/war.
💫 I really wanted to read The Family You Make (Sunrise Cove book 1) before I read this one; but, I ran out of time over a busy weekend. It didn’t matter one bit. They are completely stand alone books, just taking place in the same city on Lake Tahoe.

Tae Holmes always wished that she had a father, but he was killed when she was a baby. It has always been just Tae and her mom, April. They “sort of” raised each other as April was only fifteen when she was born. She is enjoying her career as an event planner for AHQ and her friends Jake and Carolyn Copeland. Although she once had a “thing” for Jake’s younger brother, Riggs, he joined the military after graduation. Heading home after an event, Tae mistakes her Uber driver for Riggs who has just returned home. His brother has wanted him to come home and help with their business helping children and veterans. He didn’t plan on starting anything with her again, but Tae has always been the one for him. When he learns that she believes her father may not be dead, he asks a friend to investigate. What will happen if he does find her father? How will this information affect her relationship with her mother? An enjoyable second chance romance. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

This is a wonderful book about secrets, second chances, and forgiveness. Jill Shalvis is a fabulous story teller.

The Friendship Pact is Jill Shalvis’ newest novel in the Sunrise Cove series. The story begins with the heroine, 28-year-old event planner Tae Holmes, at a fundraiser that has poor attendance due to the weather. Tae is broke and desperate, and stops at a convenience store on her way home to get some ice cream. A teen-ager tries to shoplift some food, and Tae’s high school one-night stand tries to save both her and the teen-ager from the gun-happy store clerk.

Tae’s mother, April, was only 15 when she had Tae, and her parents weren’t around, so Tae and April pretty much raised each other. A comment that a man makes about Tae’s dead father has Tae asking questions about him, which April refuses to answer. Tae’s fortunes seem to be turning around when she gets a contract with Adrenaline HQ, an adventure company for athletes with disabilities and wounded warriors, which is co-owned by Riggs Copeland and his brother, Jake. The only problem is that Riggs is Tae’s high school one-night stand.

Since April refuses to help Tae track down her father, Riggs steps up to help her discover the truth. Tae and Riggs form a friendship pact because she doesn’t want a romantic relationship while her life is such a mess. As the story progresses, they fall for each other and discover the truth about Tae’s parentage.

Jill Shalvis’ heroines are always scrappy, ready to take on the world. Many of her heroines have had to overcome hardships due to bad childhoods or previous relationships. Tae had a bad childhood and is still looking for financial stability, so she is truly scrappy. However I could never connect with Tae and didn’t enjoy this book as much as I have previous Jill Shalvis books. With that said, the author is very talented and always writes humorous scenes and some quirky minor characters.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.

Tae and April are as close as a mother and daughter can get. They basically raised each other. There are no secrets between them. Except, when Tae starts asking about her father, April closes off. Tae knows there's something that April is not telling her, and she's bound and determined to figure it out.
Luckily, Tae has help in the form of Riggs Copeland.

Tae and Riggs were friendly in high school. Despite Riggs being a part of the popular group, and Tae being an outsider, they got along really well, but after a brief fling, they parted ways and haven't spoken since.

When Riggs shows up in Sunrise Cove for the summer to help out his brother with his business, Tae and he could easily pick up where they left off, but seeing their situation for what it is (Riggs leaving in a couple of months), they initiate a Friendship Pact. Of course, that doesn't negate the attraction between them. When a secret threatens to upend their tenuous friendship, they both start thinking about what it is they're wanting out of life.

So I have not yet read the first book in the Sunrise Cove series, but like with many of Jill Shalvis's books, you don't have to. I was able to easily read this as a standalone and I really enjoyed it.

There's a dual narration between April and Tae, and if anything I think the mother-daughter dynamic is a super close second to the romance aspect of the story. For me, though, the romance just barely edges forward as the focus of the story.

I really liked the history between Riggs and Tae. It was something that I wish we could have explored more. We got a couple of flashback scenes but I wanted more of these. I just liked seeing the "then" as compared to the "now". I think it made their chemistry that much more dynamic, especially because, at first, it's something they're both trying to suppress which basically makes it burn brighter in my opinion.

I thought that the April and Tae relationship was handled really well by Jill Shalvis. There were definitely moments where I had to remind myself that April was the mother. That's the point though is that as a teenage mother, April and Tae basically grew up together which is also cause for some of the imbalance in their relationship as in the past it felt like Tae was the one taking care of April and not the other way around as it should have been. It doesn't mean their love for each other is not strong, but I could definitely see where some deep-seeded resentments could form from it.

Something that Jill Shalvis has always done really well in her books is making the setting (in this case Sunrise Cove) really stand out. Having the book be about the place as much as it is the people, makes it easy to want to return again and again. Sunrise Cove is this quaint town near Lake Tahoe, you envision this very outdoorsy place and that comes across beautifully in this book. I'm definitely going to pick up the first book sooner rather than later and I'm excited to see where Jill Shalvis takes this series next.

The Friendship Pact by Jill Shalvis (Sunrise Cove #2) 3.5 stars

This series is set in Northern California and each can be read as a stand-alone. The main characters are Tae Holmes, her mom April, Riggs Copeland and his brother Jake. There is more than one plotline in this book. The book is fraught with secrets and past traumas for the characters. I enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it. I liked the first book in this series “The Family You Make” much better. I look forward to the next book in this series, “The Backup Plan” coming out in January 2023.

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow Books for this ARC.

The Friendship Pact by Jill Shalvis is the 2nd book in her Sunrise Cove series. We meet Tae Homes, our heroine, at the start, when she is in charge of a fundraiser that has turned flat, mainly due to terrible weather. Tae has her own event planning business, and the fundraiser was to help Jake Copeland with one of his events (military, kid, disabled, etc.); Jake tells Tae she did well, and she should go home, as his AHQ (Adrenaline HQ) team will clean up. While waiting for Uber to show up, Tae is shocked to run into an old friend, who offers her a ride home.

Riggs Copeland, our hero and Jake’s brother, as return home to help his brother for the summer. Tae and Riggs have not seen each other since high school, with Riggs now out of the military, planning to move at summer’s end to accept a job in DC. Though both were a bit uncomfortable, neither of them ever forgot about their relationship back then. Tae doesn’t plan getting close to Riggs, as he hurt her; and Riggs doesn’t plan to stay too long, as his memories of his deceased abusive father were still buried in his mind.
Tae is very close to her mom, April, and together they have managed to make ends meet. April loved to take beautiful photos, and has not tried to promote that, until someone sees the pictures and pushes her to show them. April, has focused her life solely on Tae, having raised her daughter, being a single teen mother; as she was her world, but April did have a secret. One day, looking through some papers, Tae notices her birth certificate that has a blank under father; she begins to investigate, since her mother told her that her father died overseas when she was a baby.

Though Tae and Riggs ended up constantly running into each other, they agree that neither will be anything other then friends. A slow build romance will change their friendship pact, and I loved watching them fall in love. Riggs was strong and protective, of Tae, as well as his brother, Jake. The brothers shared ownership of AHQ, which was helping out Veterans, kids, and those with disabilities, and Riggs felt Jake did not need him past the summer. Will Jake be able to convince Riggs he is needed here? Will Riggs, who has fallen hard for Tae, hurt her again, and leave?

The Friendship Pact is an excellent, heartwarming story revolving around friendship, family, love and forgiveness. As Tae learns more about her father, will she be able to forgive both her mother and Riggs, who was protecting her, for not telling her the truth. The Friendship Pact was very well written by Jill Shalvis.

The Friendship Pact, book two in the Sunrise Cove series, is no exception to the fact that every time I read a book by Jill Shalvis I fall in love with the characters she creates.This story exemplifies Shalvis’ sense of humor, the personalities she gifts unto her characters, allowing the reader to connect with each of them. This amazing story is about how the past, family, and friends can affect our present and how hard it is to open up and faith in others again; even love again.

This is a second chance, emotional romance about two broken people, who need each other as much as they don’t believe they need each other. Riggs Copeland came from a tough home life and then became a Marine for years, while Tae Holmes, grew up, with her teenage mother and no father; taking care of her mother more than her mother took care of Tae. April has a role in this story, one that can affect the outcome of Tae’s search for her dad and her relationship with Riggs. Tae and Riggs, had their own demons, that they effectively used as a shield to protect them from emotional entanglements, especially in their adult lives. Tae and Riggs each saw something in the other that makes them want to lower those shields to see what could come of actually letting someone in on a deeper level. Being able to find someone who was able to see past the devil-may-care attitudes to the real person underneath; finding ways to validate and help heal each other, as well as themselves.

Once again Ms. Shalvis delivers a sweet, lovable story. Tae and Riggs need each other almost as much as Tae needed to build a relationship with her father and it becomes the perfect life for them, living in Sunshine Cove. The passion, the snark, the laugh-out-loud moments, the tears, the difficult situations, the pain, the memories, are all handled with a sense of empathy or compassion so the reader falls more in love with the characters and the story. I highly recommend The Friendship Pact to other readers and look forward to what’s next in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.