Ever since I first read Lord’s “Tweet Cute”, I knew no book from her would let me down and none have yet. The Break-Up Pact was no exception. I absolutely adored this book and could not put it down.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

June is trying to keep her business afloat. Right now, being the "Crying Girl" from a reality show is helping some sales, but it is not enough.

Levi is trying to keep a low profile also after his girlfriend dumped him for a TV Star. He is hiding out in his hometown trying not to be found.

However, June finds Levi and their friendship from when they are teens restarts, kind of. June's best friend suggests that they start "dating" to get back at their exes. The issue - Levi does want back with his ex and June never got over her feelings for Levi or the hurt he caused her when they were teenagers. However, each give it a go to try to help June get more foot traffic into her store before her landlord cancels her lease. The two of them are adorable together and then they get labeled "Revenge Exes" and the world loves the story. Can they fake date without catching feelings?

Emma Lord has always been one of my go to authors for summer rom-coms. I believe she used to write mostly YA and this is an adult novel. It did not disappoint.

Emma Lord once again delivers a delightful romantic comedy that’s brimming with heart, humor, and just the right amount of chaos in *The Break-Up Pact*. The fake-dating trope is given a fresh and modern spin with the addition of viral TikTok break-ups, public scandals, and a second-chance friendship teetering on the edge of something more.

June and Levi are charmingly flawed protagonists who leap off the page with their witty banter and undeniable chemistry. June’s struggle to keep her tea shop afloat and Levi’s disillusionment with his New York lifestyle are deeply relatable, grounding the story amidst the hilarity of staged photo ops and viral gossip. Their shared history as best friends-turned-strangers adds a layer of emotional depth to their fake relationship, making every spark between them feel all the more real.

The novel’s exploration of social media’s impact on relationships and reputations is sharp and timely, but it’s the personal stakes that truly captivate. Lord crafts a story that’s as much about rediscovering oneself as it is about finding love. Watching June and Levi rebuild their connection, navigate their insecurities, and ultimately confront their true feelings is as satisfying as sipping a perfect cup of tea on a rainy day.

With its laugh-out-loud moments, heart-fluttering romance, and a dash of small-town charm, The Break-Up Pact is a feel-good gem. Fans of fake-dating stories and second-chance romance will adore this book—and will no doubt root for June and Levi as much as the internet does.

This was so fun! I’m a sucker for fake-dating stories, and the banter here totally delivered. It was light, cute, and made me smile the whole way through.

"The Break-Up Pact" by by Emma Lord is a fun fake-dating romance. It's everything you expect, but that's okay because it's done well with likable characters. Enjoy!

such a hard time getting into this book and staying engaged honestly couldn’t remember what was happening

This book was such a fun and heartwarming read. Loved the chemistry between the main characters. Emma Lord's wriging is always charming and this story had the perfect mix of humor, emotion and romance.

I hated the classic miscommunication in this book. Honestly, it was difficult for me to be invested in June and Levi's relationship and I didn't really like either of the characters. I wasn't convinced about their romance and even the fake dating was pretty boring. Their relationship seemed so surface level.

This was my first book by Emma Lord, and it did not disappoint! This is a perfect read for summer or whenever you need an extra dose of sunshine in your life. It's a fun premise and an enjoyable ride to read. There were times when I wanted a bit more from the characters, a bit more depth and connection, but overall I'd recommend this one for fans of Jasmine Guillory's The Proposal or Emily Henry's The Happy Place.

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord was a cute, light read with a fun premise, but it didn’t totally hit the mark for me. I liked the fake dating setup and the second chance angle between June and Levi, and the beachside setting gave it a nice summer vibe. There were definitely sweet and funny moments, and I liked the friendships and small business side plots. But the romance felt a little flat at times, and the miscommunication got a bit tiring. Still, it was easy to get through and had some heart.

This book was a super cute read, and exactly what I needed. Beaches, tea shops, scones, and a second chance. What's not to love. This book had me absolutely swooning over Levi, and really wanting to take a vacation. It's perfect for a light read, and has just the right amount of spice.

The Break-Up Pact is a cute fake-dating book that features June and Levi, old friends who haven't seen each other in a decade. Levi is now back in their hometown; he and June are each fresh off a viral break-up and accidentally get photographed together looking cozy. Thanks to social media, their story takes off, and they decide to go with it and pretend to date; they are going viral again, this time as the Revenge Exes. June is using this fake relationship and its viral following to try to keep her tea and scone shop afloat; Levi is trying to win back the fiancée who cheated on him. It sounds a bit cringy, but there are some cute moments. I enjoyed the use of social media, and I liked the scone descriptions, although I wish they had been throughout the story, not just at the end.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Any books written by Emma Lord are automatic reads for me, and I have yet to be disappointed. This book had me hooked from the start, and I simply could not stop reading. I loved how mature the characters were, and I appreciated the heck out of the fact that they communicated like healthy adults throughout the turbulence of their fake relationship- and beyond. Plus, like the locals of their hometown, I shipped June and Levi so hard. This book made me cry and had me cackling, and it was a delight to read. "Because wanting something isn't the same as committing to it. To understanding the reality of it." -June

I picked this up because I really enjoyed Tweet Cute—Emma Lord has such a fun, heartfelt style. While The Break-Up Pact had its moments, it didn’t feel quite as charming or emotionally satisfying to me.

The premise is promising, with a fake dating arrangement layered over some complicated history between the main characters. But their connection felt more platonic than romantic at times, which made it harder for me to fully root for them as a couple. I also found myself distracted by a subplot involving the main character’s sister—there were emotional stakes there that were hinted at but never fully explored, and it left things feeling a little unresolved.

Overall, this was a decent read with some sweet moments, but it didn’t quite stick the landing for me. Still, if you enjoy slow-burn romances with a bit of emotional weight, it might be worth checking out.

I’ve enjoyed Emma Lord’s young adult romances, so I was excited to read her first adult novel. I’m happy to report that it’s just as swoonworthy, sweet and emotionally complex but with an added element of spice. In The Break-Up Pact, she strikes the perfect balance between a second chance at love between soulmates and the profound effect grief has on the family and friends of the lost loved one. Although it’s written from the FMC June’s viewpoint, readers get a very good sense of MMC Levi’s thoughts and feelings, not just through the dialogue but also Lord’s thorough descriptions of facial expressions and physical movements, whether it’s dancing together, competitive foot races, the emotional reaction to hand-holding, or the variety of kisses they share.

As a tea and beach enthusiast, I really love that one of the primary settings is June’s small-town tea and scone cafe. It’s almost a character in itself, especially as it relates to June’s grief over losing her sister and her struggle to keep it open while trying to honor her sister’s legacy. I also enjoyed reading about Levi’s fledging writing career. One main thread that runs throughout is toxic exes and how the awful combination of gaslighting, social media, and internet trolls can take its toll on its victims. It’s not heavy but is a timely way to set up their love story. Share this with fans of Abby Jimenez, Katherine Center, and Christina Lauren. Highly recommended.

I truly was anticipating this read and loved the description before I started out. I picked it up twice and did make it through the second time but it just wasn’t for me.

I found it very slow and unnecessarily long to land up at the ending that it did. There seemed like all along there was one story, love story, and the other story of up fronting the 3 months rent and then there were like 10 surprise stories thrown in about 70% of the book in and I was even more over it by then. The store gets taken away, the ex is back with a reality show follow up show, MMC goes back and is “maybe” getting back with his ex, food trucks, sister/brother relationship dynamic… it was just a whole lot at once for a book that took way tooooo long to get to the conclusion.

I found the characters lacking and did not resonate with them at all. I see the vision for them and the anticipated character growth, however it wasn’t believable for me as they choose to see how they could be better and make better decisions but literally kept wavering and never focusing on the growth but rather chasing a relationship versus closure and doing things for themselves to begin healing.

This just wasn’t for me this time around but I did appreciate the initial ARC and was grateful for the audio copy so that I could get through the entirety of the book the second time around.

This book was such a light hearted and fun read. I enjoyed the chemistry between June and Levi. And few scenes were really funny!

This is a book i usually enjoy, but the Break Up Pact fell short for me. I didn’t really feel a connection between the main characters. Or even connected to them. After a huge miscommunication, they reconnect after 10 years and continue to not communicate properly.

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord is a sweet, second chance rom-com about two best friends. June and Levi grew up together and were practically inseparable until they were. Fast-forward ten years and now they are back together, faking a relationship after their respective break-ups went viral. Dubbed the Revenge Exes, the two agree to a fake relationship to save June’s bakery and give Levi some time to write his next novel. What they don’t count on is falling for each other.

June is struggling to keep her sister’s dream alive after her untimely death a few years prior. The little beachside tea shop is in the negative, and the owner of the building is ready to evict her. June desperately needs people coming in, but she so stuck on keeping the shop as it was when her sister was alive that she doesn’t see a way forward.

Levi is back in town temporarily, having rented a small apartment near the tea shop with a beach view. After his very public breakup, Levi is looking to reinvent himself. He’s stuck as a hedgefund manager, not at all what he wanted to do in life. He wants to go back to writing full time, but he’s blocked. When someone sneaks a picture of he and June running on the beach, the picture goes viral, boosting the sales at the teashop temporarily. Levi agrees to June’s plan, but he doesn’t know if his feelings can stay hidden.

I really enjoyed The Break-Up Pact. This was a sweet second chance romance between two friends. A miscommunication years earlier caused their friendship to crumble, but now they are getting a do over. Their rapport makes it easy to root for them from the first encounter on the beach. I loved seeing them grow together. The side story of the Revenge Exes made for a cute and often humorous storyline. If you are looking for a sweet rom-com, I highly recommend this one.