TikTok…I don't know anything about it but I decide to just skip over it when it was mentioned and it was alot!
I'm gonna say this read more like a young adult then a adult romance. It was fine. I don't have anything bad to say about it. I'll still be looking for her next book.

Thanks for inviting me to read this.
My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved all of the YA books Emma Lord has written, and was excited to see her writing romance. This book did not disappoint, it had all the charm that her ya books normally have and the writing that I enjoy and as a bonus the characters were well written and lovable, and the story was so fun! Super recommend to fans of the authors books as well as people who might want to dive into her works but don’t know where to

This was a charming adult contemporary romance that follows June and Levi, two former best friends who reunite under unexpected circumstances.

After a decade of estrangement, a viral social media mishap forces them to pretend to be a couple. As they navigate the complexities of their fake relationship, they rediscover their connection and confront unresolved feelings from the past.

It was filled with witty dialogue and themes of friendship, love and loss. I loved the character development of both June and Levi and following their journey of becoming a couple. If you enjoy the fake dating trope, give this one a try!

I've been a fan of Emma Lord since her debut novel, Tweet Cute, and this did not disappoint! Lord is known for her banter and for how she brings her characters to life, so I wasn't surprised that June and Levi captured my heart from the get-go. Recommend this to anyone in search of a cute, flirty read full of three-dimensional characters, cheeky banter, and a swooning romance!

I also got the stunning Illumicrate edition so even more stoked :)

This was adorable. I fun second chance fake date revenge romance. Minimal spice. Definitely recommend!

This really didn’t work for me. Fake dating is my favorite trope but man, there was absolutely no chemistry between these characters who apparently have known each other forever. The last 100 pages felt so long and drawn out for absolutely nothing. Not a fan.

Emma Lord has become one of my favorite YA authors, so I was eager to see how her signature brand of sparkly, glittery, sweet romance would translate to an adult story and boy did she pull it off!

The Break-Up Pact follows June and Levi, two ex-best friends who agree to fake a relationship to help June save her struggling business and to help Levi help win his ex back. Of course you can guess how that turns out…👀

This book was such a delight! It’s full of pop culture references and warmth, and incorporates multiple romance tropes without ever making the story feel overstuffed or too thin. One thing that I’ve always loved about Lord’s writing is how she gives equal time to both lead characters. June and Levi feel so real and authentic that they could almost walk off the page, which really makes their intense chemistry believable. I’d happily read 10 more books about them.

The Break-Up Pact is a perfect novel in my mind, but I think it’s important to let other readers know that this isn’t your typical fluffy romance. While there are sweet moments of levity, the book does explore some heavier themes around grief and loss, similar to Emily Henry’s Book Lovers. Those parts didn’t detract from the story in my mind, but I can understand how others might want to avoid those topics in romance.

If you’re looking for a romance with a bit of realism and a lot of heart, you need to add The Break-Up Pact to your TBR now.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a cute closed door romance set in a beachy small town outside of NYC. I appreciated the cast of characters, some of which has some decent growth over time. The only part I did not like was the reliance of several different events continuously going viral for them all being “normal” people. I found I didn’t have the suspense of disbelief for that.

BOOK REVIEW: The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord
2024 Publication Date: August 13

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐

T.I.M.E. Best Books By Genre | Contemporary Romance
T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books Of 2024

Pages: 314
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sub-Genre: Friends To Lovers Romance
T.I.M.E. Jalapeno Rating:️ 🌶🌶 (Medium Spicy)
Time Period: Contemporary
Location: Benson Beach
Publisher: St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin

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All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-should-i-read

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

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>


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.

This was a cute read and is the perfect book to curl up with in the summer. Yet again, Emma Lord does not disappoint! I highly recommend it to those who enjoy light-hearted reads.

2.5 stars rounded up

Lord's first adult book (this includes one open door scene), but it still read like a YA book in my opinion. I kept forgetting these characters were adults because they so often acted like immature teens.

I did like the small beach town setting, the smidgens of fake dating, and the general idea of the plot.

I honestly just think there was too much filler. I often got bored and did a lot of skimming.

I don't know if Lord is moving exclusively to adult, but I hope she revisits YA in the future because I enjoyed those once much more.

The synopsis of this book sounded so cute and I loved The Getaway List (also by Emma Lord), so I was really excited to read it! Two former best friends - one a tea shop owner/baker, the other a wannabe novelist - run into each other after both having viral breakups and hatch a fake dating plan to turn it all around. What a fun premise! I really liked all the characters and their reconnections, the beach town tea shop setting was so picturesque, and the history between all the characters really adds to the story.

As a huge fan of romance books, I don't mind predictable storylines, but I felt like even though we knew where the story was going from the start, the journey through it wasn't as engaging as I would have liked it to be. And although I liked all the characters, I didn't particularly connect with any of them. I would have loved a bit more depth to the characters and storyline, but overall I liked the book, and would definitely recommend it to any romance fans!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC!

i was excited to read this one! Emma Lord is a new to me author but i really loved the idea of this book.

June and Levi were childhood best friends who had a falling out over a misunderstanding in their teen years. They haven't seen each other or spoken in years, but they reconnect when they return to their home town both after very VERY public break ups (internet meme worthy! 😵‍💫) and as they reconnect the internet sees these two together and start obsessing. So June and Levi decide to fake date for the internet so they can try to salvage their online reputations. it was a little more serious than i was expecting, they are both dealing with a lot of intense emotions, but it was still a really sweet love story

Ahhh! This is easily one of my favorite reads of this year. I’m off to read every book Emma Lord has ever written now!

The whimsical nostalgic feeling of childhood best friends was perfectly captured, and she had so many beautifully written lines in this book.

The whole idea of the #RevengeExes and fake dating was so much fun. I absolutely loved every second of this book!

I wanted to love The Break-Up Pact for its fun mix of fake dating, childhood friends-to-lovers, and small-town charm, but it didn’t quite hook me. The premise is solid: June and Levi reconnect after viral public breakups, sparking a “break-up exes” paparazzi craze that leads them to fake-date. I enjoyed the cozy beach town and bakery setting, and the story tackles grief and healing, adding some emotional depth. However, the romance lacked the chemistry I’d hoped for, and the fake dating felt too obvious, missing the tension and slow burn that would have made it shine. While there were some fun moments, the characters’ connection just didn’t fully land for me.

This was solid! I liked that both the characters grew. I eish the supporting cast had been brought to life more. Sana was close, and I loved Mateo’s sweater vests, but besides that, the secondary characters felt underdeveloped. Ironically, the book felt too long. I think cutting out some chunks of repetitive narration would’ve moved everything along more quickly and helped things feel snappier.

Personal preference, but I hate when exes change their minds and come crawling back. It’s just not believable a lot of the time. And as I’ve said before, it feels like a lazy way to prove the characters have grown. There are other ways to show growth than sticking it to your groveling ex.

This was overall good! 3/5 stars.

June and Levi were both fun characters to follow. I loved the scene that this book set and it made me want interesting scones. I was invested in the story.

I will be honest with you, I saw Emma Lord and I requested! I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was a new adult, instead of Lord’s usual young adult. The story was well paced and kept my interested. June and Levi drove me crazy by times with their terrible communication and obliviousness, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment. Lord knows how to write a romance that has you rooting for the characters!

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.